PSYC 10 - Language Acquisition (Chapter 7)

Birth: Phoneme perception

The smallest unit of sound; the ability of infants to recognize and differentiate between the distinct sounds of language. This skill develops shortly after birth and is crucial for later language learning.

Six to Nine Months: Babbling and intonation patterns

During this stage, infants experiment with sounds and produce repetitive syllables while beginning to develop a sense of the rhythm and melody of their native language. This practice is important for learning the phonetic and prosodic features of speech.

End of first year: First words

At the end of their first year, infants typically begin to utter recognizable words, marking the initial stage of verbal communication. This milestone reflects their growing understanding of language and its use in social interactions.

Around 18 months:

Vocabulary spurt; children rapidly acquire new words and begin to form simple sentences, showcasing their increasing linguistic abilities. (Telegraphic speech)

Stage 1: Phonological Development

Children learn to segment speech into meaningful sounds and to manipulate these sounds in various ways, facilitating further language skills such as rhyme and phonemic awareness.

Ex. /L/ucky vs /Y/ucky

Stage 2: Semantic Development

The process by which children come to understand and derive meaning from words and sentences, enhancing their ability to communicate effectively. This includes grasping the nuances of word meanings, relationships, and contextual usage.

Fast Mapping

The cognitive process through which children rapidly learn new words by associating them with their meanings after only a brief encounter, enabling efficient vocabulary acquisition.

Stage 3: Gramatic Development

The phase in which children learn to use language in social contexts, understanding conversational norms, turn-taking, and effective communication strategies to convey their intentions.

Stage 4: Pragmatic Development

The stage in language acquisition where children refine their communication skills by recognizing social cues, adjusting their speech for different audiences, and enhancing their ability to participate in various conversational contexts.

Language Acquisition Device (Chomsky)

A hypothetical tool proposed by Noam Chomsky that suggests humans are biologically predisposed to acquire language, enabling them to understand the structure of language naturally.

Language Acquisition Support System (Bruner)

Theoretical framework proposed by Jerome Bruner that emphasizes the role of caregivers and social interactions in facilitating language learning, providing support and guidance for children's linguistic development.

Bilingualism advantages

Children will not have a disadvantage while learning two languages and they will have an increased executive function

Home signs

are a type of sign language developed by deaf children who grow up in hearing families, using gestures to communicate in the absence of formal sign language education.