3.5 - Communication and Language Development

language

our agreed-upon systems of spoken, written, or signed words, and the ways we combine them to communicate meaning

phoneme

smallest distinctive sound unit

cat = 3

morpheme

smallest unit that carries meaning; may be a word or part of a word (ex: prefix, suffix, plural, -ing, -ed)

grammar

a system of rules that enables us to communicate with and understand others

-semantics: set of rules for deriving meaning from sounds

-syntax: set of rules for combining/ordering words

universal grammar (UD)

humans’ innate predisposition to understand the principle and rules that govern grammar in all languages (Chomsky)

babbling stage

4 mo., speaking stage, utters various sounds not related to the household language

one-word stage

1-2 y.o., speaks in mostly single words

two-word stage

~2 y.o., speaks in mostly 2-word sentences

telegraphic speech

speaks like a telegram with mostly nouns/verbs

“go car” “Amy fall”

aphasia

impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage (Broca’s area - impair speaking, Wernicke’s area - impair understanding)

Broca’s area

a frontal lobe brain area, helps control language expression by directing the muscle movements involved in speech

Wernicke’s area

brain area involved in language comprehension _{^{and expression}}

linguistic determinism

Whorf’s hypothesis that language determines thoughts/the way we think

linguistic relativism

idea that language influences the way we think

Process simulation =

imagine how to reach a goal through steps = effective for success

language development ages and stages

4 mo. coo & babble

10 mo. babbling only sounds from household

12 mo. 1 word

2 y.o. 2 words (telegraphic speech)

2+ y.o. full sentences