Development of LanguageDevelopment of Language

Language:Language: refers to our refers to our spoken, spoken, written, or written, or gestured words gestured words and how they and how they are combined are combined to to communicate.communicate.

Language: Building BlocksLanguage: Building Blocks1. 1. Phonemes:Phonemes: the smallest the smallest

distinctive sound unit.distinctive sound unit. How many phonemes are in the word: How many phonemes are in the word:

Cheat? Cheat?2. 2. Morphemes:Morphemes: the smallest unit the smallest unit

that carries meaning; may be a word that carries meaning; may be a word or a part of a word (such as a prefix)or a part of a word (such as a prefix)

How many Morphemes are in the How many Morphemes are in the word “previewed?”word “previewed?”

How many Morphemes are in the How many Morphemes are in the word “rabbits?”word “rabbits?”

Language: The RulesLanguage: The Rules Grammar:Grammar: a system of rules that a system of rules that

enables us to communicate with and enables us to communicate with and understand others. Includes understand others. Includes semantics and syntax.semantics and syntax.– Semantics:Semantics: the study of meaning; the study of meaning;

rules for how we get meaning from rules for how we get meaning from morphemes, words, and sentences morphemes, words, and sentences in a given language.in a given language.

– Syntax:Syntax: the rules for combining the rules for combining words into grammatically sensible words into grammatically sensible sentences in a given language.sentences in a given language.

Examples of Language Examples of Language RulesRules

Semantic Examples:Semantic Examples: adding –ed to adding –ed to end of word does what? end of word does what?

Adding –s to a noun does what?Adding –s to a noun does what?

Syntax Examples:Syntax Examples: In English In English adjectives come before nouns but adjectives come before nouns but the opposite is true in Spanish.the opposite is true in Spanish.

Pretty girlPretty girl Chica bonitaChica bonita

Stages of LanguageStages of Language1.1. Babbling Stage:Babbling Stage:

1.1. beginning at 3 to 4 monthsbeginning at 3 to 4 months2.2. the stage of speech development in which the stage of speech development in which

the infant spontaneously utters various the infant spontaneously utters various sounds at first unrelated to the household sounds at first unrelated to the household languagelanguage

2.2. One word stage:One word stage:1.1. from about age 1 to 2from about age 1 to 22.2. the stage in speech development during the stage in speech development during

which a child speaks mostly in single which a child speaks mostly in single words, but those words carry meaningwords, but those words carry meaning

Stages of LanguageStages of Language1.1. Two-Word StageTwo-Word Stage

1.1. beginning about age 2beginning about age 22.2. the stage in speech development during the stage in speech development during

which a child speaks mostly two-word which a child speaks mostly two-word statementsstatements

3.3. Telegraphic SpeechTelegraphic Speech1.1. early speech stage in which the child speaks like early speech stage in which the child speaks like

a telegram – “go car” – using mostly nouns and a telegram – “go car” – using mostly nouns and verbs and omitting “auxiliary” wordsverbs and omitting “auxiliary” words

Language SummaryLanguage SummarySummary of Language Development

Month(approximate)

Stage

4

10

12

24

24+

Babbles many speech sounds.

Babbling reveals households language.

One-word stage.

Two-world, telegraphic speech.

Language develops rapidly intoComplete sentences.

Theories of Language Theories of Language Development: B. F. Skinner vs. Development: B. F. Skinner vs. Noam Chomsky A.K.A. Dudes I Noam Chomsky A.K.A. Dudes I

Need to Know For the TestNeed to Know For the Test

VS.

Theory 1: Skinner Believed We Learn Theory 1: Skinner Believed We Learn Language Through Learning Language Through Learning

Techniques (Class. Cond., Op. Cond, Techniques (Class. Cond., Op. Cond, Observation) (Nurture Argument)Observation) (Nurture Argument)

Tools for learning language according to Tools for learning language according to Skinner:Skinner:

1.1. Association:Association: associate the sight of associate the sight of things with certain sound of wordsthings with certain sound of words

2.2. Imitation:Imitation: watch models speaking words watch models speaking words and syntax and then we imitate them.and syntax and then we imitate them.

3.3. ReinforcementReinforcement: given positive feedback : given positive feedback and words of encouragement when we and words of encouragement when we speak correctly.speak correctly.

Theory 2: Chomsky Believes Our Theory 2: Chomsky Believes Our Brains Are Hardwired With Inborn Brains Are Hardwired With Inborn

Universal Grammar. (Nature Universal Grammar. (Nature Argument)Argument)

Language is enabled by a:Language is enabled by a: Language Acquisition Device:Language Acquisition Device: humans are born humans are born

with innate abilities to acquire language.with innate abilities to acquire language.

Argued Argued although children do learn the language of although children do learn the language of their environment, the rate they acquire words and their environment, the rate they acquire words and grammar without being taught is too astonishing to grammar without being taught is too astonishing to be explained purely from external learning be explained purely from external learning principles.principles.

Subscribed to idea of the “critical period,” a time Subscribed to idea of the “critical period,” a time when something must happen for development to when something must happen for development to proceed normally.proceed normally.

Languages Influence on Languages Influence on ThinkingThinking

Linguistic Determinism (lingusitic Linguistic Determinism (lingusitic relativity):relativity): Benjamin WhorfBenjamin Whorf’s idea ’s idea that language determines the way that language determines the way we think. we think.

English has many self-focused English has many self-focused emotions vs. Japanese which has emotions vs. Japanese which has many words for interpersonal many words for interpersonal emotions.emotions.

Language Relativity and Language Relativity and DoublespeakDoublespeak

Double-SpeakDouble-Speak describes when describes when language is used to disguise the actual language is used to disguise the actual meaning and possibly mislead people. meaning and possibly mislead people.

Examples:Examples: ““Downsizing”=multiple firings of Downsizing”=multiple firings of

employees.employees. ““Physical Persuasion”=torturePhysical Persuasion”=torture ““Collateral Damage”=death of civiliansCollateral Damage”=death of civilians ““Concentration Camp”=labor/death Concentration Camp”=labor/death

campcamp

Reviewing Expectancy Reviewing Expectancy All expectancy/set concepts are related All expectancy/set concepts are related

to how our preconceptions, prior to how our preconceptions, prior experiences, and schemas for experiences, and schemas for phenomenon affect our thinking phenomenon affect our thinking patterns and problem solving abilities.patterns and problem solving abilities.

When explaining these concepts have When explaining these concepts have to identify source of your to identify source of your preconception.preconception.

There are two basic types of There are two basic types of set/expectancy:set/expectancy:– 1. Perceptual Set1. Perceptual Set– 2. Mental Set2. Mental Set

Concepts that Fall Under Concepts that Fall Under Category of Mental SetCategory of Mental Set

StereotypingStereotyping Availability HeuristicAvailability Heuristic Representative HeuristicRepresentative Heuristic Fundamental Attribution ErrorFundamental Attribution Error Self Fulfilling Prophecy/Pygmalion EffectSelf Fulfilling Prophecy/Pygmalion Effect Functional FixednessFunctional Fixedness Confirmation BiasConfirmation Bias Hindsight BiasHindsight Bias Belief BiasBelief Bias FramingFraming Learned HelplessnessLearned Helplessness

Set/Expectancy’s Affect on Set/Expectancy’s Affect on Human PerceptionHuman Perception

Specific Examples:Specific Examples:

2.2. Gestault PrinciplesGestault Principles-Closure, etc-Closure, etc

3.3. Top-Down ProcessingTop-Down Processing

4.4. Availability Heuristic/ Availability Heuristic/ Stereotyping /Fundamental Stereotyping /Fundamental Attribution ErrorAttribution Error

-Example: Because of news reports, I -Example: Because of news reports, I stay away from Muslims b/c I believe stay away from Muslims b/c I believe most of them are terrorists.most of them are terrorists.

1. Perceptual Set

How does set/expectancy How does set/expectancy affect the experience of affect the experience of

drugs??drugs??

How can set/expectancy How can set/expectancy affect a student’s affect a student’s

performance in the performance in the classroom?classroom?

How does set/expectancy How does set/expectancy affect our Problem Solving affect our Problem Solving

Abilities?Abilities?

How can set/expectancy How can set/expectancy affect our Memory?affect our Memory?