Theories of Language and Language Acquisition Flashcards

Comprehensive flashcards covering definitions, features, functions, theories of origin, neurobiological areas, and acquisition theories of language.

Language (Gorys Keraf)

A communication method using sound symbols produced by human speech mechanisms, employing arbitrary vowel symbols (speech sounds) for communication.

Language (Owen)

A socially shared combination of symbols governed by rules.

Language (General Definition)

A tool to express ideas or emotions through agreed-upon signs, sounds, gestures, or symbols, encompassing both verbal and non-verbal signs like bells, horns, Morse code, and gestures.

Language (Arabian Perspective)

A system of arbitrary sound symbols used to exchange thoughts and feelings, including terms such as 'lughatu-l Qur'an', 'lughatu-l 'uyūn', and 'lughatu-l thuyūr'.

Language (Mu’in, 2019)

A communication tool composed of sounds, words, and grammar, enabling specific communities to articulate ideas, emotions, and experiences.

Arbitrary (Language Characteristic)

A feature of language meaning there is no inherent link between words and their meanings; words are assigned randomly but become established over time.

Social (Language Characteristic)

The feature indicating that language is a set of conventional signals used for communication within a community, fostering culture and relationships.

Symbolic (Language Characteristic)

The feature of language that uses sound symbols and written forms to represent objects, events, or meanings.

Systematic (Language Characteristic)

The feature wherein language symbols are organized within a specific system, including phonological and grammatical frameworks.

Vocal (Language Characteristic)

The characteristic stating that language primarily consists of sounds produced by human speech mechanisms, with writing serving as a visual representation.

Non-instinctive and Conventional

The characteristic of language indicating that it evolves and is learned rather than inherited.

Productive and Creative

The characteristic of language allowing elements to be combined in new ways to create expressions that are easily understood.

Instrumental Function

Halliday's language function used to meet needs, such as obtaining food or comfort.

Regulatory Function

Halliday's language function used to influence the behavior of others through persuading or commanding.

Interactional Function

Halliday's language function used to build relationships and facilitate social interaction.

Personal Function

Halliday's language function used to convey individual opinions and emotions.

Representational Function

Halliday's language function used to communicate or request information.

Heuristic Function

Halliday's language function used for exploration and discovery.

Imaginative Function

Halliday's language function used for storytelling and creating imaginary scenarios.

Referential Function

Jakobson's language function that focuses on the context, as in statements like "Water boils at 100 degrees."

Emotive Function

Jakobson's language function directed toward the speaker, shown by interjections such as "Bah!" and "Oh!"

Conative Function

Jakobson's language function targeting the listener, evident in commands or direct address.

Phatic Function

Jakobson's language function used to establish, maintain, or end communication, or to check if contact is active (e.g., saying "Hello?").

Metalinguistic Function

Jakobson's language function employed to create a shared understanding of the language code, such as providing a definition.

Poetic Function

Jakobson's language function emphasizing the message itself for its intrinsic value, like the word "Smurf."

First Language Acquisition

A universal, passive, and innate process occurring naturally without conscious effort, where children naturally absorb language from their environment.

Second Language Acquisition

A process involving an understanding of a first language before learning a second language's vocabulary, phonology, and grammar.

Language Acquisition vs Language Learning

Acquisition is a subconscious process of naturally picking up native language without formal instruction, whereas learning is a conscious process involving formal education and explicit grammar rules.

Competence vs Performance

Competence reflects internal knowledge and the ability to understand and form correct sentences, whereas performance shows actual application and practice.

Sing-song Theory

An origin theory proposing that language evolved from melodic, song-like vocalizations used for social bonding, emotional expression, and group coordination.

Pooh-pooh Theory

An origin theory suggesting language began from instinctive emotional cries (e.g., ouch, wow, yuck), criticized because interjections differ from normal speech.

Goo-goo Theory

An origin theory proposing that language originated from infant coos and babbles during caregiver interactions.

Yow-he-ho Theory

An origin theory suggesting language developed from rhythmic chants and grunts used to coordinate group work.

Oral Gesture Theory

An origin theory proposing that language evolved from mouth and facial movements combined with vocal sounds.

Biblical Theory

An origin theory suggesting God created language and gave humans speech, explaining linguistic diversity through the Tower of Babel.

Broca’s Area

A region in the frontal part of the brain's left hemisphere (third frontal convolution, Brodmann area 44) full of neurons that assist in speech production, identified by Paul Broca in 1861.

Broca’s Aphasia

A speech disorder resulting from frontal lobe damage where speech is slow and has a simple grammatical structure, though individuals know what they want to say.

Wernicke’s Area

A vital brain region located in the left temporal lobe key to understanding speech.

Wernicke’s Aphasia

A condition caused by damage to Wernicke's area where individuals speak fluently, but their words do not make sense.

Critical Period Hypothesis

Eric Lenneberg's hypothesis stating that natural language acquisition depends on a biologically determined period of brain plasticity before puberty, after which lateralization reduces plasticity.

Behaviorist Theory of Language Acquisition

B.F. Skinner's theory stating that language develops through operant conditioning (positive and negative reinforcement) and environmental responses.

Nativist Theory

Noam Chomsky's theory proposing that language is an innate, biologically determined human ability.

Language Acquisition Device (LAD)

An inborn neural mechanism in the brain proposed by Noam Chomsky that is activated through exposure to language.

Deep Structure

In Chomsky's framework, the intended ideas or meanings behind language.

Surface Structure

In Chomsky's framework, the actual words and sentence structures used to express meanings.

Universal Grammar (UG)

Chomsky's concept that all humans possess an innate capacity for language and all languages share common underlying grammatical principles.

Constructivist Theory (Piaget)

Piaget's theory stating that language development depends on cognitive maturation and active environmental interaction across four developmental stages.

Social Interactionist Theory

Lev Vygotsky's theory emphasizing that language is acquired through social interaction with experienced users within a child's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD).

Connectionist Theory

Also called Parallel Distributed Processing (PDP), a theory explaining language acquisition as pattern learning through networks of interconnected units adjusting weights based on experience.

Sensorimotor Stage

Piaget's stage (0-2 years / Birth – 2 years) where children learn through senses and physical actions, develop object permanence, and transition from cooing/babbling to first words.

Preoperational Stage

Piaget's stage (2-7 years) characterized by symbolic thinking and play, egocentric thought, rapid vocabulary growth, simple sentences, and frequent questions.

Concrete Operational Stage

Piaget's stage (7-11 years) characterized by logical thinking about concrete objects/events, understanding cause and effect, reduced egocentrism, and complex sentence structures.

Formal Operational Stage

Piaget's stage (12 years and up) characterized by abstract thinking, hypothetical reasoning, understanding abstract terms, and using persuasive/analytical language.