Thinking & Language (Lecture Notes)

These flashcards cover key concepts related to the understanding of language acquisition, animal communication, the impact of deafness on language development, and the relationship between thinking and language.

Language Acquisition

The process through which humans learn to communicate through spoken, written, or signed words.

Universal Grammar

The theory that humans have an innate capacity to learn the grammar of their language.

Critical Period

A specific time-frame where language development must occur, or it may not develop at all.

Sign Language

A complete language that uses visual signs and gestures to convey meaning, distinct from spoken language.

Linguistic Determinism

The theory that language determines the way we think.

Linguistic Relativism

The theory that language influences, but does not determine, the way we think.

Animal Cognition

The mental capacity of non-human animals and their ability to learn, remember, and communicate.

Generativity

The ability to produce and understand an infinite number of sentences and concepts using a limited set of elements.

Cochlear Implants

Electronic devices that can help provide a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing.

Feral Child

A child who has been raised in isolation from human contact and has little or no experience of human care, behavior, or human language.