Language

1. Language

2. Overview • Definitions • Language within social and cultural contexts • Linguistics (structure of Language) • Biological and Evolutionary Basis of Language • Language Acquisition • L earning Theories • Biological Theories • Language in Nonhumans • Social Interaction Theories

3. Defining Language • Language • Set of symbols that convey meaning • Often expressed with gestures

4. 5 Major Properties of Human Language • Language is creative – • Language is Structured – • Language is Meaningful – • Language is Referential – • Language is Interpersonal -

5. Language within a Social Context • Social Context • The meaning of language changes as a function of social situation. • Consider the word ‘Goodbye’:

6. Language within a cultural context • Cultural Context • Meaning of language varies according to culture. • Examples: • Words • Gestures

7. Language, Culture, and Thought • Worf Hypothesis: • Developed by Benjamin Whorf (1956) • Perceptions and thoughts determined by language. • Research fails to support this hypothesis

8. Language and Gender Stereotypes • Gender Stereotypes in the English Language

9. Linguistics • Linguistics • Psycholinguistics

10. Syntax The way words combine to form phrases, clauses, and sentences Holophrases Telegraphese Morphemes The basic units of meaning in a language Phonemes The smallest sounds that compose words in a language Infants have universal phonetic sensitivity The Structure of Language

12. Semantics • Semantics: • The analysis of the meaning of language • Includes:

13. The Biological and Evolutionary Basis of Language Chomsky • language is innate • inborn “universal grammar” • Universal grammar is:

14. Biological and Evolutionary Basis of Language Chomsky • Reason for Language =

15. Biological and Evolutionary Basis of Language Evidence: • Physiological Brain Studies • Spontaneous Signing

16. The Biological and Evolutionary Basis of Language When we study human language, we are approaching what some might call the "human essence," the distinctive qualities of mind that are, so far as we know, unique to man. Noam Chomsky, Language and Mind

17. Language Acquisition Learning Theories Biological Theories

18. Language Acquisition • Major achievement • Distinguishes us from other species • Leads to advancement Nature vs. Nurture Debate

19. Language Acquisition: Learning Theories Learning Theory: • Operant conditioning • specific language behaviours are reinforced

20. Language Acquisition: Biological Theories • humans have an innate capacity to develop language • Language Acquisition Device(LAD):

21. Language Acquisition: Evidence for Biological Theories Brain Localization & Lateralization • Broca • Wernicke • Importance of left hemisphere

22. Language Acquisition Theories: Evidence for Biological Theories Learning Readiness: Lenneberg • humans are born with a grammatical capacity and a readiness to produce language • Critical Periods: • Criticisms:

23. The Critical Period Hypothesis • Critical period – a period in the development of an organism when it is particularly sensitive to certain environmental influences. Outside of this period, the same environmental influences have a weaker effect. • Example: Bird Song – baby white-crowned sparrows must hear adult song sometime between 7th and 60th day or will not learn the complete song.

24. Second Language Learning • In the first stages of learning a second language, adults appear more efficient than children • After one to two years, very small children speak the new language fluently – this is much less common in adults • Study by Johnson & Newport (1989) examined second language learning and found that the older the subjects when they first learned the second language, the less well they learned it.

25. Late Exposure to a First Language • Perhaps older learners don’t get worse at language learning, but rather their knowledge of their first language interferes with acquisition of a second language

26. Newport (1990) • 3 groups of participants: • Individuals exposed to American Sign Language (ASL) from birth • Individuals exposed to ASL between 4-6 years of age • Individuals exposed to ASL after age 12 • Tested at Age 50 • Results:

27. Is the Critical Period Specific to Language? • The notion of a critical period seems fairly plausible – • Perhaps children are better at picking up any and all complex skills of which language is only one

28. LANGUAGE IN NONHUMANS

29. Language Studies with Chimpanzees • Results of studies of chimpanzees can be used to argue both for and against the idea that language develops naturally • Washoe was taught to make a large number of signs from American sign language • Sarah was taught words and sentences with magnetized plastic shapes

30. Studies with Chimpanzees • Lana learned to press computer keys with symbols representing words but was unable to manipulate grammatical relations

31. The Ape Language Controversy • Nim Chimpski was taught manual signing but her signed messages did not increase in length as children’s do • Limitations of Ape Language Research:

32. Social Interaction Theories • Early learning theorists took an unbending view of the role of reinforcement in language • Biological theories stressed the role of genetics in language development • Social interaction theories say neither the learning nor biological view is correct by itself • Language is part nature and part nurture