Cognition: Language Production 12

Language Comprehension

Understanding spoken and written language, faster, automatic

Language Production

Creating words in spoken or written language, requires word selection, grammar, and articulation

Spoonerism

Swap initial sounds of letters, shows a problem at a phonome level, 'You cet the pog’

Malapropisms

Wrong word that sounds similar ‘Principle of politeness’ versus ‘pineapple of politeness’

Morpheme Errors

Shows internal structure of words is processed, ‘He has already trunked two packs’

Phonological Neighbor Errors

Similar sounding words such as ‘cat’ and ‘cap’, Indicates sounds based activation

Semantic Neighbor Errors

Meaning related such as ‘dog’ or ‘cat’, shows semantic network activation

Syntax Errors

Grammar mistakes, shows syntax is separately organized

Parallel Distributed Processing (PDP Model)

Language is processed in networks of interconnected units, activation spreads across levels, explains speech errors and tongue twisters

Speech Production and Ambiguity Research

Sppeakers often produce sentences that are temporarily ambiguous, they don’t always fully plan ahead, supporting the good enough production idea, context helps listeners resolve ambiguity

Common Ground in Conversation

Shared knowledge between speakers, based on language used with listener, how the listener is reacting and clarification

Pragmatics

How context influences meaning in communication, ‘It’s cold in here’ could also mean asking to close a window if standing next to open window

Gricean Maximis (Paul Grace)

Quantity - Give the right amount of information

Quality - Being truthful

Relation - Be relevant

Manner - Be clear and orderly

Not doing these things create humor, sarcasm, or implied meaning

Gestures in Language

Iconic - Represents objects or actions

Deictic - Pointing

Beat Gestures - Rhythmic hand movement

They help in aid thinking, emphasizing speech, and helping people understand what is being said

Writing versus Speaking

Speaking - Fast, spontaneous, less formal, uses tone, gestures

Writing - Slower, planned, more structures, needs planning, translating ideas into text, and revising

Stages of Writing

1) Planning

2) Drafting

3) Revising

4) Editing

Expert writers write more globally

Novice writters focus on grammar

Why English is Popular

Global businesses, historical influence, used widely online and in media

Cognitive Effects of Bilingualism

Better executive control, improved attention switching, delayed cognitive decline

Disadvantages

Smaller vocabulary in each

Slightly slower word retrieval

Critical Period Hypothesis

There is a biological window for learning language

Earlier learning leads to native pronounciations

Language Development

Before Birth - Mother’s voice is recognized

Infancy - Babbling

One year - First words

Two years - Two word combinations

Childhood - Rapid vocabulary and grammar growth

Broca’s Area

Speech production

Wernicke’s area

Understanding language

Aphasia

Language impairment due to damage

Broca’s Aphasia

Slow, effortful speech

Wernicke’s Aphasia

Fluent speech that doesn’t make sense

Alexia

Difficulty reading

Malapropism

Using a wrong word that sounds similar

Directives

Statements intended to get someone to do something

Framing

How information is presented