Comprehensive Study Guide — SHH 300: Language Components

A collection of vocabulary terms related to the components of language, covering phonology, syntax, semantics, and language variation. These flashcards are designed to aid in studying the concepts and terminology essential for understanding language structure and function.

Phonology

Study of the structure and systematic patterns of speech sounds.

Epenthesis

Inserting an extra sound into a word (e.g., “hatuh” for hat).

Acoustic Stability

Sounds remain consistent even when tongue/lips slightly shift.

Phonological Rules

Rules that determine how sounds are pronounced in certain contexts.

Universal Features

Sound traits found across all languages.

Syllable

Unit of sound structure composed of an onset, nucleus, and coda.

Onset

Beginning of a syllable, usually a consonant.

Nucleus

The loudest or most stressed part of a syllable, usually a vowel.

Coda

The ending sound(s) of a syllable.

Foot

Group of syllables that determines stress patterns.

Affricate

A sound that combines a stop and a fricative.

Voiced

Sounds produced when vocal cords vibrate.

Nasal

Sounds produced with airflow through the nose.

Strident

High-frequency turbulent sounds.

Plosive

Sounds where airflow stops completely and then releases.

Tense Vowel

Long vowel that is full and stressed.

Lax Vowel

Shorter, less tense vowel.

Reduced Vowel

Unstressed vowel sound.

Physiological Perspective of Phonology

Focuses on how sounds are produced physically.

Linguistic Perspective of Phonology

Focuses on how sounds follow rules to form words.

Syntax

Study of sentence structure and how words are arranged.

Grammar

The entire rule system of a language, including syntax and morphology.

Structural Levels

Different levels of language structure: word, phrase, sentence.

Embedding

Involves placing clauses within clauses.

Conjoining

The action of joining clauses with words like and, but, or.

Clause Types

Different types of clauses, such as declarative or interrogative.

Surface Structure

The actual word order of a sentence.

Deep Structure

The underlying meaning of a sentence.

Ambiguity

A sentence that can have more than one meaning.

Main Verbs

Verbs that express the main action or state of being.

Auxiliary Verbs

Helping verbs that assist the main verb.

Subject

The actor or doer in a sentence.

Object

What receives the action in a sentence.

Semantics

Study of meaning in language.

Lexical Meaning

Meaning of individual words.

Pragmatic Meaning

Speaker’s intended meaning.

Synonyms

Words that have the same meaning.

Antonyms

Words that have opposite meanings.

Homophones

Words that sound the same but have different meanings.

Homonyms

Words that share the same spelling and sound but have different meanings.

Semantic Fields

Groups of related words that help organize vocabulary.

Dialects

Legitimate, rule-based language varieties used by specific groups.

Standard Language

A social-political judgment reflecting the language of a dominant group.

Pidgin

A simplified contact language used between groups with no shared language.

Creole

A fully developed language that evolves from a pidgin.

Code-Switching

Switching between languages or dialects during conversation.

Slang

Informal, trendy language used by social groups.

Language Competence

Ability to recognize meaningfulness, ambiguity, and meaning variations.

Roman Jakobson's "sounds are made of features, not blobs"

Each speech sound is built from simple yes/no settings (e.g., voiced vs voiceless) which create contrasts that change words (e.g., pat vs bat). This feature-based thinking made sound analysis precise and testable, advancing phonology's scientific approach.

Why did Roman Jakobson believe language is mostly unconscious?

Speakers follow patterns they can't always explain. To study language, it's best to map its structure (rules and contrasts) rather than rely on self-reports. This idea influenced structural linguistics.

How do child learning and aphasia support Roman Jakobson's ideas about language?

Children gradually acquire language contrasts, and individuals with aphasia often lose the more complex contrasts first. This suggests the brain stores language as an organized system of contrasts.

What does Jean Berko's research tell us about how children learn language?

Children actively construct grammatical rules and patterns rather than simply imitating adults.

Purpose of Jean Berko's Wug test

To determine if children learn language through an internalized system of rules or merely through imitation and repetition.

Jean Berko's major research interests and contributions

Language acquisition in children, aphasia and language attrition (how language is lost or impaired), parent-child language use, cross-cultural language development, and gender differences in language use.

Linguist Eric Lenneberg collaborated with

Noam Chomsky

Eric Lenneberg's Critical Period Hypothesis

The best time to learn language is early in life; the ability to do so becomes much more difficult with age.

Brain process studied by Eric Lenneberg regarding hemisphere specialization

Lateralization

Example of a Roger Brown Stage 1 utterance

"More Juice", "Dog sleep", "Doggy eat"

Example of an action + object phrase (language development)

"Mommy go", "Daddy go", "Dog bark", "Mommy come"

How do SLPs use Roger Brown's Stages?

To diagnose language difficulties by identifying if children have acquired certain morphemes.

B.F. Skinner's famous experiment

Superstition in the Pigeon

B.F. Skinner's main theory

Operant Conditioning

B.F. Skinner's theoretical perspective

Behaviorist

Lev Vygotsky's view on the role of language in thought and learning

Language is a tool for children to interpret what they hear as their own thoughts, plans, and solved problems through social interactions, leading to "inner speech".

Lev Vygotsky's perspective on learning and development

Learning precedes development. Helping children with tasks slightly beyond their current abilities (scaffolding) promotes cognitive growth, challenging the idea that readiness is solely stage-dependent.

Role of culture in Lev Vygotsky's theory of cognitive growth

Culture significantly shapes thinking and learning by providing children with tools like language, traditions, and communication methods, which influence how they understand and solve problems, leading to culturally diverse developmental paths.

Steven Pinker's main theory about language

Language is an innate, natural process that people are born with, rather than something solely learned.

Steven Pinker's concept of "The Language Instinct"

Language is an innate human faculty that develops naturally, much like an organ grows, due to evolutionary programming, rather than being solely a product of learning.

How Steven Pinker's view on language differs from behaviorist theories (e.g., Skinner)

Pinker argues that imitation and reinforcement alone cannot explain the inherent creativity and complexity of human language, implying an innate capacity.

The three parts of Lois Bloom's language model

Content, Form, and Use.

Lois Bloom's emphasis in children's language development (grammar vs. meaning)

Meaning, as it reveals the deep connection between children's language, their intentions, and their understanding of the world.

How Lois Bloom's research challenged earlier language development theories

While earlier theories focused on imitation or innate grammar, Bloom demonstrated that children actively construct meaning by using language intentionally to express ideas, needs, and relationships, highlighting the cognitive and social aspects of language learning.