Part 3: Definitions and Theories of Language Development and Acquistion

SEMANTICS : What is semantics?

Word meaning.

SEMANTICS: What does semantics govern?

The meaning of individual words and word combinations.

SEMANTICS: What is semantic development?

Learning and storing word meanings.

SEMANTICS: What is a mental lexicon?

The collection of words a person understands.

SEMANTICS: What is a receptive lexicon?

Words a person understands.

SEMANTICS: What is an expressive lexicon?

Words a person uses.

SEMANTICS: Which is usually larger: receptive or expressive vocabulary?

Receptive vocabulary.

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT

How does children's vocabulary grow?

Children continuously acquire more words as they develop.

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT

What are the five semantic categories of children's early vocabulary?

Specific nominals, general nominals, action words, modifiers, and personal-social words.

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT

What are specific nominals?

Words referring to specific people, objects, or entities.

• Mom → a specific person

• Daddy → a specific person

• dog → a specific object/animal when referring to a particular dog

• ball → a specific object

• Cookie Monster → a specific entity

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT

What are general nominals?

Words referring to general categories.

• dog → dogs in general 🐶

• animals → animals as a general category

• cars → cars in general 🚗

• children → children as a group

• food → food in general

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT

What are action words?

Words describing actions.

• run → “The boy runs.”

• eat → “The baby eats.”

• sleep → “The dog sleeps.”

• play → “The children play.”

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT

What are modifiers?

Words that describe something or give more information about it.

• big → “The big dog is sleeping.”

• red → “I want the red ball.”

• hot → “The soup is hot.”

• little → “The little girl is smiling.”

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT

What are personal-social words?

Words used for social interaction or personal needs.

• hi → “Hi! How are you?”

• bye → “Bye! See you later.”

• please → “Please give me the toy.”

• thank you → “Thank you for helping me.”

SEMANTIC NETWORKS

How are words stored?

In a semantic network.

(a web of connected words and meanings in your brain.)

SEMANTIC NETWORKS

What is a semantic network?

A network of connections among words and concepts.

SEMANTIC NETWORKS

Are all connections in a semantic network equally strong?

No. Connections can be strong or weak.

SEMANTIC NETWORKS

What is spreading activation?

Activation of one word or concept spreads through connected concepts.

PRAGMATICS

What is pragmatics?

The social use of language.

PRAGMATICS

What does pragmatics govern?

→ Language use for social purposes.

PRAGMATICS

What is another way to describe pragmatics?

→ Social communication.

PRAGMATICS

What are the three main parts of pragmatic development?

→ Communication functions, conversational skills, and sensitivity to extralinguistic cues.

CONVERSATIONAL SCHEMA

What is a conversational schema?

→ The expected organization of a conversation.

CONVERSATIONAL SCHEMA

What is the first part of a conversational schema?

Opening/establishing a topic.

CONVERSATIONAL SCHEMA

What is the second part?

Taking connected turns that maintain or shift the topic.

CONVERSATIONAL SCHEMA

What is the third part?

Resolving and closing the conversation.

CONVERSATIONAL SCHEMA

What is the easiest way to remember the conversational schema?

OPEN → TAKE TURNS → CLOSE

REGISTER

What is a register?

A style of language used in a particular situation.

PRAGMATICS

Give an example of register.

Talking differently to a professor than you would to a friend.