Components of Language and Language Development

Flashcards covering key vocabulary terms and concepts related to language components, development, and the relationship between language and thought.

Lexicon

The vocabulary of a language; the words used in a given language.

Grammar

The set of rules that dictate how words and phrases are structured to convey meaning.

Phoneme

The smallest unit of sound in a language that can distinguish one word from another.

Morpheme

The smallest grammatical unit in a language that carries meaning.

Semantics

The process of deriving meaning from morphemes and words.

Syntax

The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences.

Language Acquisition

The process by which humans acquire the capacity to perceive, produce, and use language.

Critical Period

A developmental stage during which language acquisition occurs most easily.

Babbling Stage

An early stage in language development where infants produce repeated syllables.

Overgeneralization

The application of a language rule to cases that are exceptions to the rule.

Linguistic Determinism

The hypothesis that language influences and shapes thought and cognitive processes.

Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

The notion that the structure of a language affects its speakers' worldview or cognition.

Color Perception

How individuals perceive and categorize colors, which may be influenced by the language they speak.