Language

Language

A form of communication using sounds and symbols combined according to specified rules.

Phoneme

The smallest distinctive sound unit in a language.

Morpheme

The smallest unit of language that carries meaning, such as root words and affixes.

Grammar

The system of rules that govern the structure of sentences in a language.

:Pragmatics

The social aspect of language use, including the context in which language is used.

Stages

Birth

Crying

Cooing

The early language milestone occurring between 2 to 4 months, where infants produce soft vowel sounds.

Babbling

The stage of language development beginning around 6 months, where infants produce repetitive consonant-vowel combinations.

Vocabulary spurt

A rapid increase in the number of words that a child understands and uses, typically starting around 18 months.

Behaviorist Perspective/Nurture Perspective

Bandura/Observational Learning/Imitation

Skinner/Operant Learning/Reinforcement

Nature Perspective

 Chomsky/Language Acquisition Device
 Auditory/oral mechanisms
 Cross-Cultural Research
 Sensitive Periods
 Studies on Animal Research
 Specialized Language Areas in the Brain

Broca's Area

The brain region responsible for expressive language and motor projection, located in the frontal lobe.

Wernicke's Area

The brain region associated with language comprehension, found in the temporal lobe.

Nonverbal Language

Forms of communication that do not involve words, such as body language, gestures, and facial expressions.