Structures of English and Theories of Language Acquisition

These flashcards cover key concepts and theories related to the Structures of English and Theories of Language Acquisition.

What is the definition of a word in the context of English language structure?

The smallest unit of language that can stand alone and carry meaning.

What are the criteria for a word in the English language?

Uninterruptibility, Isolation, and Form-Meaning Pair.

What are the two main classes of nouns?

Proper nouns (specific names) and Common nouns (general names).

What is a pronoun?

A word that takes the place of a noun.

What are adjectives used for in sentences?

They modify or describe nouns and pronouns.

What types of verbs exist based on their mood?

Indicative, Imperative, and Subjunctive.

What is a gerund?

A verb ending in -ing that acts as a noun.

What is the difference between a phrase and a clause?

A phrase does not have a subject-verb pair, while a clause does.

What is the behavioristic approach to language learning?

Language is learned as habits through environmental interaction and reinforcement.

Who is associated with Classical Conditioning in language acquisition?

Ivan Pavlov.

How does B.F. Skinner's Operant Conditioning theory apply to language learning?

Children learn language when their verbal behavior is reinforced through rewards.

What is Noam Chomsky’s Language Acquisition Device (LAD)?

An innate mental tool that allows children to process and learn language rapidly.

What is the Critical Period Hypothesis proposed by Eric Lenneberg?

There is a specific biological window from birth to puberty when language acquisition is most successful.

What does the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) refer to?

The gap between what a learner can do alone and what they can do with assistance.

What are BICS and CALP in the context of Second Language Acquisition?

BICS refers to Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills, while CALP refers to Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency.

What theory did Jerome Bruner propose related to language acquisition?

The Language Acquisition Support System (LASS), emphasizing the role of social interaction.