Language:Year 2015
By: Bianca Stephens, Susan
Pennington & Katie Crew
Definition of Language
u  Communication
of thoughts and feelings
through a system of arbitrary signals, such
as voice sounds, gestures, or written
symbols.
History of Language
u  There
is no specific time as to when language
was first discovered.
u  Probability of our ancestors speaking a million
years ago: smaller vocabulary, slower delivery,
and simpler grammar
u  There are roughly 6,500 spoken languages in
the world today. However, about 2,000 of
those languages have fewer than 1,000
speakers.
Theory of Language
u  Members
of each linguistic group have
descended from one language, a common
ancestor.
u  This
one language, according the theory,
was surprisingly spoken in recent times-a
few thousand years ago.
Study of Language
u Linguistics
is the study of language and
its structure, including the study of
morphology, syntax, phonetics, and
semantics.
Parts of Language
u  Phonology
u  Morphology
u  Syntax
u  Semantics
u  Pragmatics
Part 1 of Language:
Phonology
u Consists
of 44 different sounds.
u Smallest unit of sound, helps children
learn how to pronounce and read words.
u Dialect is formed.
u American English spoken differently than
English spoken in United Kingdom or Great
Britain.
Part 2 of Language:
Morphology
u  Morpheme
smallest unit of language.
u  Entails
grammar and using words that form
sentences.
u  At
an early stage, children learn smaller, more
common words while beginning to form
sentences.
u  Age
brings higher level of syntax to improve
where the child can then combine more complex
words and sentences, including punctuation and
adding root words, prefixes and suffixes.
Part 3 of Language: Syntax
u Governs
rules of language.
u Sentence structure and parts of speech
fall under syntax.
u Age brings better grammar and
vocabulary.
u Speaking
brings better sentence structure.
Part 4 of Language:
Semantics
u Learning
the meaning of words.
u A child may not know the correct word
to use in a sentence, as they develop
they learn to use the more accurate
precise word.
Part 5 of Language:
Pragmatics
u Individuals
usage of language in
various settings.
u Learn to use certain language based on
our environment.
u Language at home may be different
from language at work.
Importance of Language
u One
of the most important aspects of
culture.
u Impossible to understand the subtle
nuances of a culture without knowing
the culture’s language.
u Shapes our thoughts, emotions, and
perceptions of our world
Learning Language
u  Children
begin to babble and distinguish sounds by
age 4 months
u  Age 3 is most intensive period for acquire
language
u  Exposure to a rich world that includes sounds,
sights, and speech is best for young children when
the mind is developing and absorbing information.
u  Easier for young children to be multilingual
because of brain development and absorption
Video of Learning a Second
Language
u
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09PrmLppQ1A
Language in Computers
u
u
u
u
u
A computer follows the instructions given by the programmer to
perform a specific job.
To perform a particular task, programmer prepares a sequence
of instructions, know as programmed.
A program written for a computer is known as Software.
The programmed is stored in RAM .The CPU takes one
instruction of the programmed at a time from RAM and
executes it.
The instructions are executed one by one in sequence and
finally produce the desired result.
Siri
u  The
application uses a natural language user
interface to answer questions, make
recommendations, and perform actions by
delegating requests to a set of Web services.
u  The software, both in its original version and as
an iOS application, adapts to the user's individual
language usage and individual searches
(preferences) with continuing use, and returns
results that are individualized.
u  Susan Bennett, original voice behind Siri.
Video of Susan Bennett
u
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAJxs6Pg-VY
References
u
http://anthro.palomar.edu/language/language_4.htm
u
http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/pages/speechandlanguage.aspx
u
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/32013276/ns/health-childrens_health/t/
unraveling-how-kids-become-bilingual-so-easily#.VRwhqqMo6Uk
u
http://articles.latimes.com/2013/oct/19/entertainment/la-et-stconversation-siri-susan-bennett-20131020