Linguistic Development

Thomas G. Bowers, Ph.D.2001

Linguistic DevelopmentLanguage development is one of the more significant cognitive abilities among humansLanguage is the primary means of transmitting and communicating knowledge

Linguistic DevelopmentField of Linguistics

Attempts to characterize the nature of languageChomsky (1959)

Focused on productivity and regularity of language There is a nearly infinite range of vocal behaviors Utterances are systematic and organized Difficult to explain from a solely behavioral perspective

Linguistic DevelopmentComponents of language

Syntax – highly structural aspects of grammar, including the impact of word order and inflectionSemantics – concerned with the meaningfulness and significance of languagePhonology – concerned with the sound structure of language material

Linguistic DevelopmentComponents of language

There are intuitive aspects of language use and understanding

Eg – “The boy was hit by the girl.” “The girl hit the boy.”

Experienced individuals readily manage ambiguity of language

Syntactical StructureLinguistic analysis focuses on the orderly structure of languagesPhase structure commonly noted

Noun, verb, noun phraseAdjective and articles common

Syntactical Structure

SyntaxPeople resolve ambiguity by subtle cues from time to time

They are cooking apples – perhaps the act of making a pieThey are cooking apples – perhaps the object used to make a pieMay depend upon inflection, contextl

SyntaxPhrase structure has some research history

Pauses tend to occur in grammatical junctures, with shorter pauses within the clauses

People manage meaningful stimulus transformations with little difficulty

Theoretical Accounts for Language Development

Behavioral versus Linguistic ViewsWatson (1930) maintained that thought was simply a pattern of sub vocal speechRecording of sub vocal speech appeared to be indicated during some thought process but not all examples

Theoretical Accounts for Language Development

Behavioral versus Linguistic ViewsClassic Experiment

Smith, Brown, Toman and Goodman (1947) Applied a curare derivative Results in muscle paralysis, but respiration can be

maintained by mechanical means Smith volunteered as subject Was to comprehend, report, remember and think about

activity around him

Theoretical Accounts for Language Development

Behavioral versus Linguistic ViewsClassic Experiment

Smith, Brown, Toman and Goodman (1947) It appears clear thinking can occur in the absence of

muscular activity

Theoretical Accounts for Language Development

Linguistic AnalysisLinguistic determinationLanguage is thought to be “prepared” more readily acquired than other types of behaviorsWhorf (1956) felt languages reflected different aspects of their worldIt is possible that language developed to express thought

Theoretical Accounts for Language Development

Linguistic AnalysisLanguage acquisition appears to occur rapidly, and may be sensitive to critical periodsGrammar appears to develop as an implicit processSome theorists claim we are prepared as a species to acquire linguistic behaviors

Theoretical Accounts for Language Development

Linguistic AnalysisChomsky (1970) explains language acquisition as a natural phenomenonChildren appear to be able to learn language in the absence of any inputChildren acquire language even sub optimal circumstancesAbilities to acquire second languages deteriorates with age

Theoretical Accounts for Language Development

Linguistic AnalysisChomsky continues to argue there are language universals, and hence most languages are natural languages