Language
Language sets us apart from the rest of the
animal kingdom. Other species can
communicate with specific calls. But our
language is flexible, productive & inventive.
Components of language:
1) Phonology- phoneme is basic sounds of
a language, rules for combining them.
2) Morphology- rules for forming parts of
speech, plurals, past tenses.
3) Semantics- rules of expressing
meanings through words
4) Syntax-rules for combining words into
phrases/ sentences: Noun-verb-object.
5) Pragmatics- knowing how language is
used to communicate most effectively
w/ different age people, in different
places. Sociolinguistic knowledge- how
language is used in social contexts.
Theories of language development- is
language biologically programmed, learned, or a
combination?
1) Learning theory-Skinner’s theory of
learning by reinforcement and through
imitation. So kids learn language bec/
they get a lot of positive attention for
any babbling that sounds like
meaningful language, shaping more
complex word usage as they master
simple words. Parents who use more
advanced language have children who
use more advanced language. But syntax
comes independently of praise, as
parents praise the truthfulness of what
children say, not the accuracy of
expression.
2) Nativist theory-Chomsky believes the
structure of language is too complex to
be learned casually by RF. We must
have a LAD-language acquisition
device within our brain to enable us to
process language. This device has a
universal grammar that is common to
all languages. It prepares us for learning
language naturally.
Universal cross-cultural language milestones
seem to support this theory (linguistic
universals)
a. Areas of brain- brain becomes
lateralized w/ major language areas in
left hemisphere. These areas are
hypersensitive to sounds of speech at
birth.
i. Broca’s area- relates to speech
production
ii. Wernicke’s area- relates to
comprehension
b.Sensitive-period hypothesis- learning
language is easier and more effective
before puberty. Learning a new
language before puberty uses the same
area as the native language. Later in
life it activates a different part of
brain.
c. Creole language- pidgin is the
language formed in areas where
different people speak different
languages. It has few words and basic
rules for combining words. Within
one generation, creole language is
developed, a true language using
words from all predecessor languages.
The children are responsible for
inventing syntax to create a formal
language. (using the LAD) Deaf
children also go thru the same process
to unify idiosyncratic signs into a
system.
3) Interactionist perspective- believe that
it takes both learning and biology to
create language. We use child-directed
speech (motherese) when talking to
babies. (short sentences, sing song
intonation, emphasis on key words,
higher pitch) because babies pay better
attention to it. Caregivers gradually
extend the complexity of speech.
Parents also correct speech errors w/
expansions (responding w/ a
grammatically improved form of child’s
statement)and recasts (reforming the
child’s statement w/ a new grammatical
form). We can only learn language by
using it interactively in conversations.
(Translating Rick’s books into French
didn’t teach him French- I didn’t use it
in conversations w/ him.) Vygotsky saw
the need for collaboration in learning.
Prelinguistic Period- early period before
children have meaningful words. Babies
recognize, prefer and respond to mothers’ voice
by 3 days. They match intonations bet/ 2-6 mo.
First sounds are cooing (oohs and aaahs, after
feeding) and babbling (vowel/consonant
combinations) as a response to maturing brain.
Babbles by 1 yr. sound like the native language.
They begin babbling in response to caregivers’
speech around 7-8 mo. (early pragmatics)
Nonverbals and gestures come in around 8-10
mo. and increase as children gain more complex
speech. By one year babies indicate
understanding of words. Receptive language
(comprehension) is ahead of productive
language (expression.)
Holophrase Period- using a single word to
express a thought. Between 18-24 mo. babies
add vocabulary at a fast pace- the naming
explosion. First words are objects that child can
manipulate.
Referential style- words that refer to people/
objects. Expressive style- language of
personal/social words, please, don’t stop.
Children who use more referential words will
use language for naming objects. Others that
emphasize expressive words use language for
feelings and social interactions. First-borns are
more referential, later-borns listen to more
speech directed at siblings, less naming, more
about self-control, seeing language as for
regulating others’ behavior, expressive.
Language use is determined by parents’ usehow things are described is how you learn to
think about the world.
Fast-mapping is a process of acquiring a word
after hearing it used in context only a few times.
Errors are made in certain patterns:
overextension (use a specific word for a broad
category) and underextension (using a general
word for a specific object)
Syntactical bootstrapping- children make
inferences about the meaning of words by
analyzing the way words are used in sentences.
By age 2 toddlers produce 200 words and
understand syntax enough to determine that new
words are nouns or actions based on where they
are in the sentence.
Telegraphic Period- early sentences with
content words, but not articles, prepositions,
pronouns. Early sentences are ambiguous in
meaning, so they use gestures and intonation to
aid the listener. They also monitor if the listener
understands and try to correct them when wrong.
They also learn polite language by parents’ RF
and training- Say please. Deaf children learn
sign language in the same way when exposed to
a meaningful sign system. They gain language
use at the same age and rate as hearing children.
Preschool Period-from 2 ½ to 5 children learn
to produce complex sentences. Grammatical
morphemes are modifiers, prefixes, suffixes,
prepositions, auxiliary verbs. They use them in
3rd year. There is a specific order to gaining use
of these morphemes. The errors they make are
overregularization of the rules even tho they
have learned the irregular forms of some words.
By age 3 they produce complex sentences with
modifiers and phrases. By 5,6 their sentences are
grammatically correct w/o having a lesson in
grammar.
Middle Childhood/ Adolescence- during school
years we learn bigger words and more complex
communications. Once formal reasoning comes
in during adolescence, they expand their
vocabulary to use of abstract words. School age
children begin to understand sarcasm, hidden
meanings based on intonation. They are
developing metalinguistic awareness
(understanding the properties of language, the
purposes it can be used for).
Reading to children enhances emergent literacy
thru vocabulary growth and letter recognition,
ultimately in success @ learning. It also
promotes language use if babies have siblings to
talk with. The older ones learn to adjust their
language to be simpler and more meaningful if
they have to communicate with a baby.
Bilingualism- learning more than one language
before puberty. Early exposure to both
languages is the key. Before age 3 these children
have no problems becoming proficient in both
languages. If they learn second language after
age 3, they only need a year to achieve fluency.
There may be advantages cognitively to being
bilingual. Even so, English-only policies have
begun to change the bilingual education offered
in most schools. Total immersion programs
result in poor mastery of English and slowed
mastery of other subjects. There are benefits to
two-way bilingual education- where preschool
and early grade school programs spend half the
day in English, half in native language. They
gain English proficiency better and learn in
school more effectively.
Language
Language sets us apart from the rest of the
animal kingdom. Other species can
communicate with specific calls. But our
language is flexible, productive & inventive.
Components of language:
1) phonology
2) morphology
3) semantics
4) syntax
5) pragmatics
Theories of language development
1) Learning theory- Skinner
2) Nativist theory- Chomsky’s LADlanguage acquisition device
a. Areas of brain
i. Broca’s area-speech production
ii. Wernicke’s area- comprehension
b.Sensitive-period hypothesis
c. Creole language- starts as pidgin
3) Interactionist perspective- childdirected speech (motherese)
Parents also correct speech errors w/
expansions (responding w/ a grammatically
improved form of child’s statement)and
recasts (reforming the child’s statement w/ a
new grammatical form).
Prelinguistic Period- early period before
children have meaningful words. Babies
recognize, prefer and respond to mothers’ voice
by 3 days. They match intonations bet/ 2-6 mo.
First sounds are cooing (oohs and aaahs, after
feeding) and babbling (vowel/consonant
combinations) as a response to maturing brain.
Receptive language (comprehension) is ahead
of productive language (expression.)
Holophrase Period- using a single word to
express a thought. Between 18-24 mo. babies
add vocabulary at a fast pace- the naming
explosion. Fast-mapping is a process of
acquiring a word after hearing it used in context
only a few times.
Referential style- words that refer to people/
objects. Expressive style- language of
personal/social words, please, don’t stop.
Errors are made in certain patterns:
overextension (use a specific word for a broad
category) and underextension (using a general
word for a specific object)
Syntactical bootstrapping- children make
inferences about the meaning of words by
analyzing the way words are used in sentences.
Telegraphic Period- early sentences with
content words, but not articles, prepositions,
pronouns.
Preschool Period from 2 ½ to 5 children learn
to produce complex sentences. Grammatical
morphemes are modifiers, prefixes, suffixes,
prepositions, auxiliary verbs. The errors they
make are overregularization of the rules even
tho they have learned the irregular forms of
some words. Reading to children enhances
emergent literacy thru vocabulary growth and
letter recognition, ultimately in success @
learning.
Middle Childhood/ Adolescence- during school
years we learn bigger words and more complex
communications. They are developing
metalinguistic awareness (understanding the
properties of language, the purposes it can be
used for).
Bilingualism- Before age 3 these children have
no problems becoming proficient in both
languages. If they learn second language after
age 3, they only need a year to achieve fluency.
There may be advantages cognitively to being
bilingual. There are benefits to two-way
bilingual education- where preschool and early
grade school programs spend half the day in
English, half in native language. They gain
English proficiency better and learn in school
more effectively.