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Language

Language . And Language Development. Language defined:. Language = behavior often used to distinguish humans from animals only humans speak, read, write, have verbal ability attempts to teach animals to verbalize are unsuccessful

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Language

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  1. Language And Language Development

  2. Language defined: • Language = • behavior often used to distinguish humans from animals • only humans speak, read, write, have verbal ability • attempts to teach animals to verbalize are unsuccessful • But: do animals have a language, and is it fair to try to make them do what humans do? • Language clearly relates to: • thinking • problem solving • abstract concepts • can we think without language?

  3. Important characteristics of language: • Symbol system • Has 4 functions: • instrumental: verbal behavior leads to consequences • stimulus for other behaviors: sets of chains of behaviors • vehicle for communicating with others • conveys meaning, esp. of abstract concepts

  4. Basic Units of Language: Phonemes • Basic sounds for a language • Smallest unit of sound in a language • e.g phonetics • Adults can produce about 100 phonemes • Acquire these sounds via a developmental process • # of phonemes varies with the language • cultural differences: • English has about 45 purely “english” phonemes • Asian speakers: no L so sub R

  5. Basic Units of Language: Morphemes •  Smallest unit of MEANING in language • Usually consists of combinations of at least 2 phonemes • Some phonemes are also morphemes: • “a” • “I” • Include word prefixes and suffixes: • E.g.: good, put, go • also prefixes and suffixes • also -ing, -es, -ed • Latin root words! • Prefixes and suffixes give original word new meaning • Alter verb tense

  6. Basic Units of Language:Syntax • rules for combining phonemes and morphemes • how make a sentence, paragraph, etc. • essentially- grammar • E.g., noun-adjective relationship; verb agreements, and so on.

  7. Ways of analyzing language: • Lexical content: • what words are used how often • Thorndike-Lorge list; Dolch sight word list • used to predict what a person should know • Syntactical content • examine arrangement or ordering of words to form phrases or sentences • generate syntactic rules: grammar

  8. Ways of analyzing language: • Semantic content • perhaps most important • meaning of word, phrase, sentence, etc. • what we know is communicated • e.g.: • THE man is going to the store. • the MAN is going to the store • the man IS going to the store • the man is GOING to the store • the man is going TO THE store • the man is going to THE store • The man is going to the STORE • We know relatively little about rules for determining the meaning of words • Language is constantly changing: think about geographic idioms, dialects, slang, etc.

  9. Progression of language Development • Initial sounds: • birth: basically crying • 2-3 months: cooing, blows bubbles • 6 months: nonsense sounds: dada and mama • First words • usually about an object or action • 9-10 months: often first "word“ • often cat or more or byebye • mother's ear • 1 year: approximately 5 -10 words • by 18-20 months: TELEGRAPHIC SPEECH • combining 2 words into sentences • Functional- no extra words • e.g. Daddy go; me milk • Functional language • by 3-4: good 3-4 word sentence structure • by age 4-5 years: 5-6 word sentences • overgeneralization errors of grammar • I walk-- I walked • I run-- I runned • by 1st to 2nd grade- eliminate these errors

  10. Theories of Language • Nature vs nurture controversy: Is language and innate behavior that just emerges, or is it learned? • Behaviorist position: Skinner • children's babbling changes with age • parents reinforce certain sounds and serve as model for children • slower speech to children • simplified sentences • we correct children's grammar • deprivation studies support this position • Nativistor cognitivist position: Chomsky • mind is innately structured • some physiological evidence • mental structure allows lang. - only humans have • evidence: • all languages have syntax, semantics • all languages consist of phonemes/morphemes • substantive universals: nouns, verbs, etc. • formal universals: grammatical structure • One test: animal language

  11. Animal Language • Washoe: Beatrice and Roger Gardner, Roger Fouts • Chimp who was reared as human using ASL • functions like 2 year old child • telegraphic speech • errors of omission/comission similar to 2 yr old • given infant chimp- modelled these responses to her • Sara and Lana and others at Yerkes • David Premack and the Savage-Rumbaugh • used plastic symbol boards and computer keyboard • Other approaches: Alex the parrot; Koko the Gorilla, dolphins • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6KvPN_Wt8I • Criticism of ape studies: • only rote learning, not really language • not progressing • overinterpretation of the data • difficulty in defining what constitutes a language use

  12. Animal Language? • Alternative approach: • Study the animal's language • Chuck Snowden- U of Wisconsin • analyzed vocalizations and actions of S.A. Tamarin • Found evidence of rudimentary semantics and syntax • Bottom line: • its both nature and nurture • need innate structure to be able to produce these sounds • need environment to elicit these capabilities

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