Unit 1 Early Speech & Lang Development

How do children primarily learn language?

Through social interaction and hearing it from others, such as parents and role models.

Why is teaching language to children different from teaching it to adults?

Children do not learn language through formal methods like flashcards; their learning is more natural and gradual.

What is a common speech development characteristic in younger children?

Most younger children cannot pronounce the letter 'r', which is normal as speech sounds develop gradually.

What is the relationship between speech and language?

Speech is the spoken form of language, which exists in many different forms.

How do parents and teachers contribute to language learning?

They work with language constantly, facilitating learning in school through language.

What does the term 'conventional' mean in the context of language?

It refers to something that is the same every time, such as conventional symbols in English.

What is an example of a mixed language mode?

Spanglish, which is a mix of Spanish and English.

What is a morpheme?

The smallest unit of meaning in a language, such as 'call' becoming 'called'.

What can lead to miscommunication in texting?

Not knowing the code of abbreviations used in texting, like 'idk' or 'tmr'.

How do word meanings change over time?

Words can become outdated or take on new meanings as generations change, such as 'selfie' emerging in 2007.

Why is language essential for communication?

It allows for the expression of complex ideas and directions, which is crucial for social interaction.

What are the cognitive processes involved in language?

They include the brain's ability to organize and produce speech sounds based on thoughts.

What is the role of hearing in spoken language?

Hearing is necessary for spoken language as it allows individuals to perceive and understand speech.

What is coarticulation in speech?

It refers to the blending of speech sounds together quickly, making it difficult to isolate individual sounds.

What happens to babies with middle ear infections regarding language development?

They may experience delayed speech, leading to difficulties in reading and writing later on.

What is the significance of speech production starting in the brain?

It indicates that higher-level cognitive processes are involved in forming thoughts and expressing them through speech.

What is the difference between speech and language?

Speech is the physical production of sounds, while language is the system of communication that conveys meaning.

How do babies communicate before they can speak?

They may cry or use gestures instead of words to express their needs.

What is the impact of language disorders on social life?

Individuals with language disorders may struggle to make friends and navigate social situations.

What is an example of how language can be organized differently in different languages?

In English, the phrase is 'a red house', while in French it is 'une maison rouge', showing different word order.

What are the three domains language is organized into?

Form, content, and use.

What does 'form' refer to in language?

How words, sentences, and sounds are organized and arranged to convey content.

Define 'content' in the context of language.

The words used and their meanings.

What does 'use' refer to in language?

How people draw on language functionally to meet their needs; also known as pragmatics.

What is a lexicon?

Our vocabulary system, representing the numerical amount of words in our vocabulary.

List the five components that make up the three big components of language.

Phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics.

What does phonology govern?

The sounds that make syllables and words.

How many phonemes are there in General American English?

39 phonemes.

What are allophones?

Subtle variations of phonemes due to context.

What is phonotactics?

Rules governing how sounds are organized in words for each language.

What is the acquisition rate in language development?

How fast babies learn language over a certain amount of time.

What milestones do children typically reach by 24 months in language acquisition?

They begin to combine words and make sentences.

What is semanticity in language?

The ability to represent events that are decontextualized and share information about the past or future.

What is code-switching?

Interchanges between the syntax and vocabulary of two languages.

What is the difference between simultaneous and sequential bilingualism?

Simultaneous bilingualism occurs when a child learns two languages at the same time, while sequential bilingualism occurs when a child learns one language after another.

What does syntax refer to in language?

The arrangement of words to create sentences.

What does morphology deal with?

The internal structure of words, including morphemes and phonemes.

What is the significance of language acquisition milestones?

They are similar across cultures, indicating universal patterns in language development.

What are some factors that can affect language acquisition?

Immersion, necessity, and environmental factors such as lack of communication.