LUKOX Dec 11 LANGUAGE

Phoneme

Basic sounds used to create words.

Morpheme

Smallest unit of meaning in a language.

Semantics

Study of meaning in language.

Syntax

Rules for structuring sentences in a language.

Grammar

Set of rules governing language structure.

Linguistic Determinism

Language shapes our thoughts and perceptions.

Benjamin Whorf

Proposed linguistic relativity theory.

Language Acquisition Device

Hypothetical brain tool for learning language.

Noam Chomsky

Theorized innate language learning mechanisms.

B.F. Skinner

Believed language is learned through conditioning.

Babbling Stage

4 months; infants experiment with phonemes.

One-Word Stage

12 months; single words with meanings.

Telegraphic Speech

24 months; two-word sentences expressing ideas.

Critical Period

First 7 years crucial for language development.

Associative Learning

Step 1 in Skinner's language acquisition theory.

Imitation

Step 2 in Skinner's language acquisition theory.

Reinforcement

Step 3 in Skinner's language acquisition theory.

Observational Learning

Learning by watching and listening to others.

Hypothetical Tool

Concept explaining rapid language acquisition in children.

Cognitive Development

Influences language learning and understanding.