Language Development

Language

A fundamental human characteristic influencing culture and communication.

Large Language Models

AI systems that analyze and generate human language.

Phoneme Identification

Recognizing distinct units of sound in speech.

Word Segmentation

Dividing continuous speech into individual words.

Grammar

Rules governing the structure of sentences in language.

Nature vs. Nurture Debate

Discussion on innate abilities versus learned experiences in language.

Behaviorist View

Language acquisition through imitation and reinforcement.

Poverty of the Stimulus

Insufficient language input to explain complex language acquisition.

Universal Grammar

Innate principles allowing all humans to acquire language.

Statistical Learning View

Language learned through recognizing statistical patterns in input.

Social-Interactionist View

Language acquisition occurs through social contexts and interactions.

Turn Taking

A social skill essential for effective communication.

Mutual Gaze

Shared eye contact facilitating social interaction and learning.

Joint Attention

Shared focus between child and caregiver enhancing language learning.

Critical Period

Time frame when language acquisition occurs most easily.

Language-Specific Knowledge

Unique cognitive abilities related to language processing.

Imitation

Copying others' behavior as a learning mechanism.

Positive Reinforcement

Rewarding behavior to encourage language use.

Explicit Feedback

Direct responses to a child's language use to guide learning.

Creative Use of Language

Ability to generate novel sentences beyond learned phrases.

Language Processing Areas

Brain regions specialized for understanding and producing language.

African grey parrot

Parrot species with an 80-word vocabulary.

Kanzi

Bonobo trained to communicate with lexigrams.

Lexigram system

Symbolic communication method using visual symbols.

Function words

Words that express grammatical relationships.

Broca's Aphasia

Speech impairment with intact understanding, slow output.

Wernicke's Aphasia

Fluent but nonsensical speech, difficulty with meaning.

Language universals

Common linguistic features across all languages.

Pragmatically anomalous

Syntactically correct but contextually nonsensical.

Morphology

Study of word structure and formation.

Parameters

Rules that define language-specific structures.

Negative evidence

Feedback indicating incorrect language use.

Linguistic universals

Shared aspects of language across cultures.

Syntax

Rules governing sentence structure in language.

Grammatical errors

Mistakes in language structure and rules.

Social aspect of language

Language's role in social interaction and communication.

Quantitative difference

Significant variations in language use among species.

Child language acquisition

Process by which children learn language naturally.

Expertise localization

Brain areas specialized for specific skills.

Scrambled sentences

Disordered word arrangement affecting clarity.

Infinite sentences

Ability to create new sentences never heard.

Feedback in language learning

Responses that guide language use and correction.

Comparative syntax

Analysis of syntax across different languages.

SVO

Subject-Verb-Object structure in languages.

OVS

Object-Verb-Subject structure, rare in languages.

Implicational Universals

If language has X, it must have Y.

SOV

Subject-Object-Verb structure, example: Japanese.

Adjective Ordering

Preferences in arranging adjectives before nouns.

Novel Information Bias

Placing unexpected info at the front enhances clarity.

Cognitive Biases

Mental shortcuts influencing language structure.

Large Language Models (LLMs)

Deep networks predicting text from vast data.

Context-aware Representations

Understanding language context for better predictions.

Creative Language Generation

LLMs can produce novel language outputs.

Imprinting

Rapid learning of features from caretakers.

Birdsong Dialects

Young birds learn local song variants after hatching.

Feral Children

Raised without language, showing unique behavioral traits.

Deaf Children

Studying them helps isolate language's role in development.

British Sign Language (BSL)

Sign language used by the deaf community in Britain.

Native Learners

Children exposed to BSL from birth.

Late Learners

Children acquiring BSL after age 5.

Critical Period Hypothesis

Optimal age range for language acquisition.

Performance Curves

Graphs showing language learning success over time.

Social Development

Influences on language acquisition and usage.

Language Evolution

Development of language structures to aid learning.

Second language acquisition

Learning a language after the first language.

Experience discount factor

Bilinguals receive less input than monolinguals.

Sensitive period

Optimal time for acquiring specific skills.

Child-Directed Speech (CDS)

Caregiver speech style for young children.

Less-is-more principle

Limited resources aid language acquisition.

MacArthur-Bates CDI

Tool for assessing child vocabulary development.

Looking-while-listening task

Measures processing efficiency in language learning.

Neural networks in language

Models trained on language structures for learning.

Artificial grammar learning task

Experiment assessing language learning with small segments.

Phonology in CDS

Speech features like intonation and pauses.

Vocabulary focus in CDS

Emphasis on concrete, relevant words for children.

Morphology in CDS

Simplified language forms used by caregivers.

Linguistic feedback hypothesis

Adults communicate to be understood, not teach.

Active participation in learning

Engagement enhances language acquisition effectiveness.

Processing skills

Cognitive abilities that facilitate language growth.

Embedded sentences

Complex sentence structures that challenge learners.

Syntax learning

Understanding sentence structure and grammar rules.

Infant phonetic learning

Babies learn sounds from their environment.

Head-turn paradigm

Method to study infant attention to sounds.

Cultural differences in CDS

Variations in caregiver speech across cultures.

Evidence from adult learners

Adults benefit from segmented language exposure.

Active Participation

Essential for effective language learning in children.

Language Exposure

Varies in amount and quality, influencing development.

Quantitative Differences

Higher SES correlates with larger vocabulary.

Qualitative Differences

Children learn differently from overheard speech vs CDS.

Phoneme

Smallest sound unit distinguishing words in language.

Vowel

Sound produced with free airflow, defined by shape.

Consonant

Sound defined by airflow obstruction and articulation.

Voicing

Differentiates voiced and voiceless phonemes by vibration.

Place of Articulation

Location of obstruction in speech production.

Manner of Articulation

How airflow is managed during consonant production.

Voice Onset Time (VOT)

Time until vocal cords vibrate after sound starts.

Individual Variation

Differences in language acquisition among children.

Overheard Speech

Passive exposure to language, less effective than interaction.

Television Exposure

Limited language learning without active participation.

Biological Variation

Genetic factors influencing language learning abilities.