Language Development

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to language development and categorisation, based on the lecture notes.

Categorisation

The grouping or organisation of items based on their similarity.

Prelinguistic knowledge

Understanding and processing of sounds and communication before actual language use.

Oral language skills

Skills that predict literacy and are crucial for accessing curricula.

Cognitive tool

A mental resource used for the efficient organisation of knowledge.

Perceptual categorisation

The grouping together of things based on observable similarities and differences.

Conceptual categorisation

Categorisation involving some cognitive components alongside perceptual similarities.

Taxonomic categorisation

Categorisation based on kinds, typically seen in biological classifications.

Thematic categorisation

Categorisation based on relationships within schemas, such as context.

Vocab spurt

A rapid increase in vocabulary typically observed around 18 months of age.

Universal Grammar

Chomsky's theory that proposes a set of grammatical principles shared across all languages.

Language Acquisition Device (LAD)

A theoretical component of the brain that is hypothesized to facilitate language learning.

Speech segmentation

The process of identifying individual words within continuous speech.

Non-native contrasts

Differences between phonetic sounds that are present in some languages but not in others.

Categorical perception

The ability to perceive sounds as belonging to distinct categories rather than on a continuous scale.

Prosodic cues

Patterns of stress and intonation in speech that help infants identify word boundaries.

Pragmatics

The study of how context influences the interpretation of communication.

Morphology

The study of the structure of words and the rules governing word formation.

Syntax

The set of rules that governs the structure of sentences.

Interactionist approaches

Theories that suggest language development happens alongside the development of other cognitive skills.

Environmental factors

Conditions such as socioeconomic status that influence language development.