Language Development and Bilingualism Overview

Word

Combination of phonemes expressing meaning.

Lexical Development

Process of acquiring new words and meanings.

Vocabulary Spurt

Rapid increase in word acquisition around 30 months.

Object Permanence

Understanding objects exist even when unseen.

Overextension

Using words too broadly beyond their meanings.

Underextension

Using words too narrowly, limiting their meanings.

Word Spurt

Shift in lexical development at 50-word milestone.

Fast Mapping

Hypothesizing meanings from limited exposure to words.

Mutual Exclusivity Assumption

Assumption that objects have only one name.

Context-Bound Words

Words tied to specific contexts of use.

Referential Words

Words used in a generalized, abstract manner.

Phonological Memory

Short-term memory for storing speech sounds.

Nominals

Words that label common nouns or things.

Social Interaction

Influence of social context on vocabulary learning.

Cognitive Development

Influence of mental processes on word learning.

Perceptual Salience

Learning words from visible objects around them.

Word Segmentation

Separating speech into distinct words.

Hierarchy of Concepts

Organizing words from general to specific.

Bilingualism

Learning two languages, affecting vocabulary size.

SES

Socioeconomic status influencing vocabulary development.

Age

Developmental stage affecting lexical acquisition rate.

Learning Environment

Context where vocabulary development occurs.

Gender Differences

Variations in vocabulary development between boys and girls.

Word Extension

Broadening a word's meaning beyond its original use.

Context-Bound Use

Using words based on specific experiences.

Referencing

Using words to refer to broader concepts.

Infant Comprehension

Understanding words before verbal production begins.

Social Words

Words that express relationships and interactions.

Lexical principles

Assumptions guiding children's word learning processes.

Whole-object assumption

Children assume new words refer to whole objects.

Mutual exclusivity

Children assume each object has one name.

Language

Systematic use of sounds for communication.

Speech

Expression using sounds or spoken words.

Syntax

Rules for arranging words into sentences.

Grammar

Rules governing the structure of a language.

Morphology

Rules for combining smallest language units into words.

Phonology

Study of sounds in a language.

MLU

Mean Length of Utterance; measures grammatical development.

Telegraphic speech

Two-word speech omitting grammatical morphemes.

Overregularization

Applying regular grammatical rules to irregular forms.

Declarative sentences

Statements that convey information or facts.

Imperative sentences

Commands or requests expressed in simple form.

Grammatical morphemes

Smallest units that modify meaning in language.

Bound morpheme

Morpheme that cannot stand alone.

Free morpheme

Word that can stand alone.

Functional categories

Words serving grammatical functions without thematic content.

Open-class words

Nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs that can expand.

Closed-class words

Words serving grammatical functions; limited new additions.

Syntactic transformations

Changing sentence structure while retaining meaning.

Emergence of first words

Initial stage in children's language development.

Grammatical learning milestones

Key stages in acquiring language rules.

Negative markers

Words indicating negation in sentences.

Auxiliary verbs

Verbs used with main verbs to indicate tense.

Recurrence patterns

Indications of quantity or repetition in speech.

Locatives

Words indicating location or position.

Actor/action

Structure indicating who is doing what.

Complex sentences

Sentences containing multiple clauses.

Constructivist theory

Language constructed by child using innate mental tools.

Generativist theory

Language acquisition supported by innate Universal Grammar.

Over-regularizations

Incorrectly applying rules to irregular forms.

Overgeneralizations

Errors using verbs incorrectly in sentences.

Illocutionary force

Intention behind speech acts like requests.

Locution

Form of speech acts, such as declarative.

Perlocution

Effect of speech acts on the listener.

Linguistic competence

Ability to produce meaningful, well-formed sentences.

Communicative competence

Using sentences appropriately in interactions.

Pragmatics

Study of language use in context.

Discourse

Combining sentences to create meaning.

Grice's maxims

Conversational principles for effective communication.

Sociolinguistic development

Becoming a socially competent language user.

Registers

Language styles for specific social settings.

Intentionality

Awareness that behavior affects listener.

Prelinguistic infants

Infants showing communicative intentions through gestures.

Narrative skills

Ability to tell simple stories.

Halliday's functions

Different purposes of language use in children.

Dore's speech acts

Primitive speech acts like labeling and requesting.

Labeling

Naming objects without waiting for response.

Requesting action

Vocalization with gesture to signal demand.

Practicing

Using words without specific object or event.

Greeting

Salutation upon appearance of person or object.

Protesting

Resisting actions with vocal or physical response.

Calling

Loudly addressing an adult to gain attention.

Answering

Repeating part of adult's utterance.

Repeating

Responding to questions by addressing adult.

Narrative development

Children's ability to tell stories evolves over time.

Communicative intentions

Purposes behind children's verbal interactions.

Private speech

Children's self-directed talk, often monologues.

Sustaining dialogue

Maintaining conversation through relevant responses.

Miscommunication

Failure to understand children's noises or gestures.

Scaffolding

Support provided by adults to enhance language use.

Speech act

Utterance functioning as an action or behavior.

Connected discourse

Extended speech or writing beyond single sentences.

Pragmatic development

Growth in understanding language's social functions.

Collective monologues

Turn-taking conversations with unrelated content.

Egocentrism

Inability to see others' perspectives in children.

Language play

Activities manipulating language sounds for fun.

Referential communication

Task where speaker directs listener's attention.

Cultural influences

Norms and values shaping language use in communities.

Linguistic relativity

Language influences thought and perception.

Language socialization

Learning socially appropriate language use in context.