Week 6:Week 6:Language Language

AcquisitionAcquisition

The object of studyThe object of study

Language acquisitionLanguage acquisition is the study of is the study of the processes through which humans the processes through which humans acquire language. acquire language.

By itself, language acquisition refers to By itself, language acquisition refers to first first language acquisitionlanguage acquisition,, which which studies infants' acquisition of their native studies infants' acquisition of their native language, whereas language, whereas second language second language acquisitionacquisition deals with acquisition of deals with acquisition of additional languages in both children additional languages in both children and adults. and adults.

Language and Language and communicationcommunication

It is a commonly held view that language It is a commonly held view that language evolved as a tool for communication.evolved as a tool for communication.

1. Human language can be seen primarily 1. Human language can be seen primarily as a socially, or culturally determined as a socially, or culturally determined tool for communication.tool for communication.

2. Alternatively, language can be seen 2. Alternatively, language can be seen primarily as a cognitive mechanism for primarily as a cognitive mechanism for structuring utterances and perhaps also structuring utterances and perhaps also thoughts.thoughts.

Acquiring languageAcquiring language

One of the complexities of acquiring One of the complexities of acquiring language is that it is learned by language is that it is learned by infants from what appears to be very infants from what appears to be very little input. little input.

This has led to the long-standing This has led to the long-standing debate debate between the two different between the two different groups of scholars: groups of scholars:

Nativist theoriesNativist theories —Chomky is the —Chomky is the preeminent name here—place the preeminent name here—place the distinctiveness of language in specific distinctiveness of language in specific genetic endowmentgenetic endowment for a specifically for a specifically genetically instructed language module. genetically instructed language module. Under that view, there is minimal learning Under that view, there is minimal learning involved in acquiring a language. involved in acquiring a language.

EEmpiricistsmpiricists like Hobbes and Locke argued like Hobbes and Locke argued that knowledge emerge ultimately from that knowledge emerge ultimately from abstracted abstracted sense impressionssense impressions. .

The precise form of language must The precise form of language must be acquired through exposure to a be acquired through exposure to a speech community. Words are speech community. Words are definitely not inbron, but the definitely not inbron, but the capacity to acquire language and capacity to acquire language and use it creativelyuse it creatively seems to be inborn. seems to be inborn. N. Chomsky calls this ability the LAD N. Chomsky calls this ability the LAD (Language Acquisition Device).(Language Acquisition Device).

CCoo--evolutionaryevolutionary theory theory

There are also There are also coco--evolutionaryevolutionary proposalsproposals: : Language is not an instinct Language is not an instinct and thereand there is no genetically installed is no genetically installed linguistic black box in our brains. linguistic black box in our brains. Language arose slowly through Language arose slowly through cognitive and cultural inventiveness. cognitive and cultural inventiveness.

Language began as a cognitive Language began as a cognitive adaptation and genetic assimilation.adaptation and genetic assimilation. CognitiveCognitive effort and genetic assimilation effort and genetic assimilation interacted as language and brain co-interacted as language and brain co-evolved.evolved.

Human language is made possible by Human language is made possible by special adaptations of the human special adaptations of the human mind and body that occurred in the mind and body that occurred in the course of human evolution, and course of human evolution, and which are put to use by children in which are put to use by children in acquiring their mother tongue acquiring their mother tongue

A Critical Period forA Critical Period forLanguage AcquisitionLanguage Acquisition

Critical Period Hypothesis: Exposure to Critical Period Hypothesis: Exposure to languagelanguage

beforebefore puberty is necessary for language puberty is necessary for language acquisition.acquisition.

Children with delayed exposure toChildren with delayed exposure to languagelanguage::“The Wild Boy of Aveyron”.“The Wild Boy of Aveyron”. GenieGenie

Sample utterances by Genie:Sample utterances by Genie: Mike paint.Mike paint. Applesauce buy storeApplesauce buy store.. Small two cup.Small two cup. I like hear music ice cream truck.I like hear music ice cream truck. Think about Mama love Genie.Think about Mama love Genie.

Milestones inMilestones inLanguage DevelopmentLanguage Development

Language Stage Language Stage Beginning AgeBeginning Age

Crying! Crying! BirthBirth Cooing! Cooing! 6 weeks6 weeks Babbling! Babbling! 6 months6 months Intonation patterns! Intonation patterns! 8 months8 months One-word utterances! One-word utterances! 1 year1 year Two-word utterances! Two-word utterances! 18 months18 months Word inflections! Word inflections! 2 years2 years Questions, negations! Questions, negations! 2 1/4 years2 1/4 years Rare and complex constructions! Rare and complex constructions! 5 years5 years Mature speech! Mature speech! 10 years10 years

Pre-Verbal LanguagePre-Verbal LanguageDevelopmentDevelopment

•• Crying:Crying: Non-linguistic Non-linguistic Though some language Though some language

specific elements.specific elements. Cooing:Cooing: Non-linguistic Non-linguistic. . Exercising the articulatory Exercising the articulatory

apparatus.apparatus. Imitation and the beginning of turn-taking.Imitation and the beginning of turn-taking. Babbling:Babbling: here infants are clearly producing here infants are clearly producing

syllable like sounds. syllable like sounds. No meaning attached to the No meaning attached to the babble.babble. Syllables are often found in repetitive Syllables are often found in repetitive sequences (babababa). Children clearly utilise their sequences (babababa). Children clearly utilise their babling to tune their vocalisation to the sounds of the babling to tune their vocalisation to the sounds of the local language. local language.

Babbling as part of the biologically determined Babbling as part of the biologically determined maturation of language abilities. maturation of language abilities.

Babbling drift: Around 9-14 months infants restrictBabbling drift: Around 9-14 months infants restrict their babbling to native language sounds.their babbling to native language sounds.

First wordsFirst words Shortly before their first birthday, babies begin Shortly before their first birthday, babies begin

to understand words, and around that birthday, to understand words, and around that birthday, they start to produce them. Words are usually they start to produce them. Words are usually produced in isolation; this one-word stage can produced in isolation; this one-word stage can last from two months to a year. last from two months to a year.

Children's first words are similar all over the Children's first words are similar all over the planet. About half the words are for objects: planet. About half the words are for objects: food (juice, cookiefood (juice, cookie)), body parts (eye, nose), , body parts (eye, nose), clothing (diaper, sock), vehicles (car, boat), clothing (diaper, sock), vehicles (car, boat), toys (doll, block), household items (bottle, toys (doll, block), household items (bottle, lightlight)), animals (dog, animals (doggiegie, kitty), and people , kitty), and people ((mama, mama, dada, baby). dada, baby).

There are words for actions, motions, and There are words for actions, motions, and routines, like (routines, like (up, off, open, peekaboo, eat, and up, off, open, peekaboo, eat, and go, and modifiers, like hot, allgo, and modifiers, like hot, all gone, more, gone, more, dirty, and cold. dirty, and cold.

The Influence of ExperienceThe Influence of Experienceon Phonological Processingon Phonological Processing

Lexical DevelopmentLexical Development Children start producing their first words around Children start producing their first words around

1212months.months. Words are used holophrastically: A word stands forWords are used holophrastically: A word stands foran entire sentence.an entire sentence. By 24 months they have an expressive vocabulary By 24 months they have an expressive vocabulary

ofofbetween 50 to 600 words.between 50 to 600 words. Experience matters for vocabulary growth.Experience matters for vocabulary growth. Privileged children hear about 2,100 words/hour.Privileged children hear about 2,100 words/hour. Disadvantaged children hear only about 600 Disadvantaged children hear only about 600

words/hour.words/hour.

Syntactic DevelopmentSyntactic Development

18-24 Months: Two-word utterances18-24 Months: Two-word utterances 95% of utterances: Correct word 95% of utterances: Correct word

order.order. Telegraphic speech (few function Telegraphic speech (few function

words).words).

Syntactic DevelopmentSyntactic Development

How do children fit long thoughts into two How do children fit long thoughts into two wordword utterances?utterances?

Children appear to use vertical constructions ofChildren appear to use vertical constructions ofutterances (Moskowitz, 1991).utterances (Moskowitz, 1991).Breaking thoughts down into two-word Breaking thoughts down into two-word

utterances.utterances. • • Child: Child: Tape corder. Use it. Use it.Tape corder. Use it. Use it. • • Adult: Adult: Use it for what?Use it for what? • • Child: Child: Talk. Corder talk. Brenda talkTalk. Corder talk. Brenda talk..Adults use horizontal constructions.Adults use horizontal constructions.- - Complete word-by-word specification of Complete word-by-word specification of

thoughts.thoughts.

24-48 Months: Complexity and length 24-48 Months: Complexity and length of utterancesof utterances increase rapidly.increase rapidly. > > “normal” conversation.“normal” conversation.

How do children achieve this rapid How do children achieve this rapid increase inincrease in sentence complexity and sentence complexity and length?length?

..

Childish creativityChildish creativity

Despite the obvious impact the environment has on Despite the obvious impact the environment has on thethe

choice and general direction of mother-tongue choice and general direction of mother-tongue learning,learning,

children are prone to come up with all kinds of children are prone to come up with all kinds of wordswords

and expressions which they have never heard in and expressions which they have never heard in theirtheir

environment.environment. Daughter: Somebody’s at the door.Daughter: Somebody’s at the door. Mother: There is nobody at the door.Mother: There is nobody at the door. Daughter: There is yesbody at the door.Daughter: There is yesbody at the door.