PSYC 367 Quiz

Linguistics

Scientific study of language. Ex. How are words ordered in a language

Psycholinguistics

Combination of linguistics and cognitive psychology. Ex. Do we process each word as a unit or do we process a whole sentence

Branches of psycholinguistics

Brain role disorders, learning or acquisition, social context, language production and perception

Basic knowledge of psycholinguistics

Understanding how language works and how it relates to humans and other animals

Complex knowledge of psycholinguistics

Applying research to real world problems such as language disorders and facilitate communication . Ex. Picture exchange system

Speech-language pathologist

Professional who assesses and treats language disorders

Examples of language disorders treated by speech-language pathologists

Autism stuttering and language problems after stroke

Picture Exchange Communication System

Communication system using pictures to help people communicate

Language

A set of symbols governed by rules

Language rules

Rules for combining symbols

Language is hierarchical

Language can be organized into smaller parts and larger structures

Language-specific rules

Different languages have different rules for combining symbols

Agglutinative language

Language that combines morphemes without modifying them. Ex. Finnish - snow→ snowball

Function of language

Knowledge transmission/ communication and Social bonding

Knowledge transmission

Sharing information with others so they do not need to learn through individual learning or trial and error

Social bonding

Language helps connect members of a group

Dyadic

Involving two people

Protolanguage

A possible precursor to full human language

Symbolic

A symbol represents an idea or meaning

Semanticity

Language symbols convey meaning. If you dont have this : prone to error in message.

Arbitrariness

There is no inherent connection between a symbol and what it represents. Ex. Whale

Contrast with iconicity

Sound symbolism

When the sound of a word has some connection to its meaning

Onomatopoeia

Words that imitate sounds such as bang or ouch

Iconicity

When the form of a signal resembles or connects to its meaning

Displacement

Ability of language to communicate about things that are not physically present. Ex. Talking about the past, future, imaginary events or hypothetical situations

Discreteness

Language can be broken into separate meaningful or functional parts. Ex. Phonemes, morphemes

Generativity or productivity

Ability to combine symbols to create new meanings and messages. Can create novel sentences

Non-generative communication system

Communication system with a limited number of combinations

Syntactic recursion

sentences can be increasingly long grammatically correct by embedding phrase within phrase.

Cuneiform

Used to record trade and commerce. First documented writing system from Mesopotamia

Loanword

A word borrowed from another language

Example of a loanword

Music comes from the Latin word musica

Plato's view of language

Language gives an imperfect view of reality. Ex. Plato cave allegory

Plato's cave allegory

People see shadows of reality and language is compared to those symbolic shadows

Early theories of language evolution

Theories suggesting early words came from natural sounds or actions. Bow Wow, Pooh Pooh and Yo he ho theory.

Bow-wow theory

Words developed by imitating sounds from objects or animals. Ex. Gloop could imitate the sound of a stone hitting water

Pooh-pooh theory

Words developed from emotional exclamations.Ex.Ouch

Yo-he-ho theory

Words developed from work-related sounds

Evidence against early theories of language evolution

Early theories focus mainly on where words came from and do not explain how syntax originated

Gradual theories of language evolution

Theories that language developed slowly over time

Bottom-up approach to protolanguage

Language developed from smaller elements such as sounds and words

Protolanguage in the bottom-up approach

A functional language precursor without full syntax

Pidgin language

A communication system that develops between people who do not share a language

Holistic approach to protolanguage

Small expressions communicate single ideas or pieces of information

Social bonding theory of language

Language developed partly to build and maintain social relationships

Gossip theory

Language helps people exchange information and learn about others

Rapid theories of language evolution

Theories that language emerged suddenly because of biological or genetic changes

Genetic mutation theory

A genetic mutation may have suddenly improved humans' ability to produce speech

FOXP2 gene

Gene associated with abilities involved in speech and language

Spontaneous emergence in art theory

The appearance of symbolic art suggests symbolic thinking and language may have developed around a similar time

Anatomy change theory

Changes in human anatomy may have allowed humans to produce a wider variety of sounds

Human larynx

The human larynx is positioned lower than in many other animals and helps produce a wider range of sounds

Complex adaptive systems theory

Language develops through interactions between biology learning and culture. Cultural transmission

Cultural transmission

Passing information through social interaction and learning from others

Innate knowledge

Knowledge or abilities a person is biologically predisposed to have

Imprinting

An innate learning process where an animal follows the first suitable thing it sees

Iterated learning

Language is repeatedly learned and passed from person to person across generations

Non-human animal communication

Communication systems used by animals to exchange information

Referential communication

Signals that refer to objects or events in the outside world

Different predictions about non-human animal language

Behaviourism suggests animals can learn language while cognitivism and nativism suggest they cannot have full human-like language

Evidence for semanticity in non-human animals

Vervet monkeys use different alarm calls for specific predators threats. Ex.snake, bird

Testing animal communication

Researchers record animal calls and observe the behaviours that follow them

Evidence for arbitrariness in non-human animals

Honey bees use waggle dances to communicate information about exact location of food.

Honey bee waggle intensity

Intensity of the waggle communicates information about the food source

Honey bee waggle angle

Angle of the waggle communicates the direction or position of food

Honey bee waggle length

Length of the waggle communicates the distance to food

Evidence for displacement in non-human animals

Honey bee waggle dances communicate information about food that is not currently at the hive

Evidence for discreteness in non-human animals

Prairie dogs produce different predator-specific alarm calls. Ex. Size, colour

Animal productivity or generativity example

Honey bee waggle dances can communicate food locations in many different directions

Evidence for productivity in non-human animals

Honey bee waggle dances can communicate many different food locations

Consonant

Speech sound that interrupts or constricts airflow

Voiced consonant

Consonant produced with vibration of the vocal folds

Voiceless consonant

Consonant produced without vibration of the vocal folds

Vowel

Speech sound produced without major interruption of airflow

Place of articulation

Location in the mouth or throat where a speech sound is produced

Labial

Sound made using the lips

Bilabial

Sound made using both lips. Ex.b

Labiodental

Sound made using the lips and teeth Ex. F

Dental

Sound made when the tongue constricts airflow near the teeth. Ex. Th

Alveolar

Sound made when the tongue is positioned near the area behind the teeth.ex.z

Palatal

Sound made when the tongue constricts airflow near the hard palate. Ex. J

Velar

Sound made when the tongue constricts airflow near the soft palate Ex. G

Glottal

Sound made by constriction at the vocal folds or glottis. Ex.h

Vowel height

How high or low the tongue is positioned when producing a vowel

Vowel frontness

Whether the tongue is positioned toward the front middle or back of the mouth

Manner of articulation

How airflow is restricted or shaped when producing a speech sound

Stop

Speech sound made by completely blocking airflow. Ex. P, d

Fricative

Speech sound made by partially blocking airflow. Ex.F and V

Affricate

Speech sound combining a stop with a fricative-like release. Ex. J

Glottal stop

Sound produced by briefly stopping airflow at the glottis. Ex. British - The break in the middle of butter

Liquid

Speech sound involving partial obstruction by the tongue. Ex. L and R

Glide

Speech sound produced with the tongue moving toward another position

Glide example

W

Nasal

Speech sound where air flows through the nose

Nasal examples

M and N

Stress

Emphasis placed on a syllable or part of a word. Language specific, variability inconsistency. Ex. Em- PLOY- er

Prosody

Rhythm and intonation or contour of speech. Helps convey meaning and can affect speech comprehension

Sound

Mechanical energy that travels as a wave through a medium

Compression

Area where air molecules are packed closely together in a sound wave

Rarefaction

Area where air molecules are spread farther apart in a sound wave