chapter 1 Communication Development

communication

sending and receiving of information, ideas, feelings, or messages

methods of communication

talking, codes, gestures, art, clothing, writing, facial expressions, dance, self expression

humans are always communicating

communication is a major part of the human experience

language

the system of abstract symbols organized according to basic rules that are common to all known languages

language is a concept humans are instinctive to

innate

language exists in the mind and exists whether or not it’s expressed

language exists in the mind and exists whether or not it’s expressed

receptive language

thinking through an idea or understanding a concept

expressive language

speaking, signing, or writing what we want to say

pragmatics

the use of appropriate communication in social settings to establish and maintain relationships (what to say and how to say it)

pragmatics used early on in language and non verbal behaviors

ex. holding up hand to signal waiting, “say please”

non verbal behaviors

maintaining appropriate distance between speakers, maintaining eye contact, and using body language appropriate to the situation

semantics

the ability to understand and use the meaning of words, phrases, and sentences

semantics also

involves the use of vocabulary to construct ideas through the relationship between words

syntax

using grammar to connect words and the role structure for these combinations (if we didn’t have rules for combining words there wouldn’t be any meaning

morpheme

each word is a unit of meaning

the fact that we all don’t speak the same language suggests that certain aspects of language are

learned

conventions of language

established grammar rules and structure

the capacity for language is innate but specific conventions of any given language are learned

different languages have different rules for organizing words

speech

the oral expression of language as well as a highly complex physiological process requiring the coordination of respiration, phonation, resonation, and articulation

synchronization of movements for speech are

critical

speech can and does exist in the absence of language

language exists in the absence of speech

parrots can produce sounds like humans

but it isn’t the oral expression of language because they don’t understand the meaning of the words

echolalia

imitation of words, phrases, or sentences in the absence of understanding what someone is saying

deaf kids can develop language abilities without using speech

deaf children use different ways to express gestures (signs and gestures)

suprasegmental

pitch, stress, length, loudness

intonation

the way the pitch of your voice rises and falls to convey meaning, emotion, or emphasis when speaking (makes speech interesting)

speech and language develop together

but not at the same rate

most of what a child will ever know about language is acquired before entering school

some speech sounds not mastered until age 7 or 8

speech combines phonated and articulated noises + the rule governed structures of language

yay speech

Charles F Hockett (1960)

one of the first linguists to take a detailed analytical look at the characteristics of human speech in comparison to communication systems of other animals

Hockett wrote

“ The origins of speech” and the “13 design features of language”

“13 design features”

these features effectively separate human speech from other forms of animal communication

“The origin of speech”

remains an interesting and important part of

vocal auditory channel (1)

human beings communicate by forcing air through their vocal folds of the larynx and breaking the vibrating airstream into sounds of speech which are organized into words and sentences (allows us to be hands free when communicating so we can do other things)

broadcast transmission and directional reception (2)

when speech is produced it radiates in all directions and can be heard by anyone in range

rapid fading (3)

speech signals don’t linger

total feedback (4)

humans have the capacity to monitor what they say and how they say it (can make adjustments)

specialization (5)

speech is specifically designed for communication (specialized human function)

arbitrariness (6)

there is nothing inherent in a spoken word to account for its meaning ex. chair

discreteness (7)

each sound is discrete and conveys a specific purpose

traditional transmission (8)

the capacity for language is genetic but details like vocab and structure are learned

interchangeability (9)

any human can say anything another human can say

semanticity (10)

ability to use human speech to convey certain messages

indexicality (11)

describes the rich use of presemantic, semantic, postsemantic, and extrasemantic info in human connection

presemantics

allows communicators to use their experiences to determine the meanings of words in a specific context

postsemantics

the ability to analyze messages to determine the truth of an utterance in a social situation

extrasemantics

social and psychological factors that can shape meaning

productivity (12)

creating words, sentences (we use words how sculptors use clay)

displacement (13)

humans can talk about things that are distant in time or space

duality of patterning (14)

sounds and words can be used in an infinite # of ways

recursion (15)

humans ability to create language, imagine what someone else is thinking, and gain self understanding

prevarication (16)

ability to lie

reflexivity (17)

ability to use language in order to talk about language

learnability (18)

combination of capacity to learn, environment, stimuli, and motivation