10 Lecture on Language

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary and concepts about human language from the lecture notes.

Human Language

A unique system of communication used by humans.

Living Languages

Languages currently spoken by communities, totaling about 7,159.

Shared System

Language as a system of arbitrary symbols representing things.

Rule-Governed

Language governed by rules of grammar and syntax.

Generative

The ability of language to create infinite ideas by combining symbols.

Pidgin

A simplified form of speech that develops from two or more languages.

Creole

A stable, fully-developed language that evolves from a pidgin.

Phonology

The study of the sound system of language.

Phoneme

The smallest unit of sound in language.

Pragmatics

The study of how context influences the use of language.

Morphology

The study of the structure of words and their meaningful components.

Syntax

The set of rules, principles, and processes that govern sentence structure.

Semantics

The study of meaning in language.

Linguistic Turn-Taking

The rules governing when to speak in conversation.

Eye Contact

A form of nonverbal communication that indicates attention and engagement.

Code-Switching

The practice of alternating between two or more languages or dialects.

Gesture

Nonverbal actions that convey meaning or supplement communication.

Emblems

Gestures with specific meanings recognized within a culture.

Iconic Gestures

Gestures that visually represent the concepts they refer to.

Metaphoric Gestures

Gestures that express abstract ideas or concepts.

Affect Gestures

Gestures that convey emotions or feelings.

Deictic Gestures

Gestures that provide spatial information through pointing.

Beat Gestures

Rhythmic hand movements that mark narrative timing.

Vocal Tract Evolution

Changes in the human vocal tract that enabled speech production.

Turn-Taking

The method by which speakers manage the conversation flow.

Cerebral Asymmetry

The unequal distribution of brain function, particularly in language.

Infant Speech Perception

The ability of babies to recognize and differentiate sounds.

Conditioned Headturn Procedure

A method used to study infant auditory preferences.

High-Amplitude Sucking Technique

A technique for studying babies' preferences based on sucking rates.

4-6 Months Development

The period when the infant larynx descends, beginning complex sounds.

Neurodevelopment

The development of the nervous system as it relates to language.

Social Context

The environment in which communication occurs and its influence.

Natural Communication System

A communication system that evolves naturally among a community.

Complex Babbling

The stage of speech development where infants produce varied sounds.

Bipedalism

The ability to walk on two legs, which facilitated hand use.

Gesture in Great Apes

The use of gestures by apes that resembles human communication.

Communicative Efficiency

The ability to convey information effectively using gestures.

Cognitive Development

The progression of mental processes related to understanding language.

Nature vs. Nurture

The debate over genetics and environment in language learning.

Discourse

Written or spoken communication and its structure.

Multi-Modal Communication

Using multiple methods or modes to convey information.

Operation Conditioning

A learning process through reinforcement of behaviors.

Social Timing

The appropriate timing of responses in social exchanges.

Cultural Symbols

Gestures or expressions that hold meaning within a specific culture.

Infant Oral Tract

Anatomical structure of infants that resembles that of apes.

Nicaraguan Sign Language (ISN)

A creole sign language developed by deaf children in Nicaragua.

Living Languages Map

A visualization representing the distribution of languages worldwide.

Turn-Taking Signals

Nonverbal cues indicating when someone should speak.

Right-Handedness Correlation

The relationship between handedness and language processing.

Interactive Experimental Paradigm

A research method involving active participant interaction.

Development of LSN

The evolution of Nicaraguan Sign Language among deaf youth.

Symbolic Representation

The use of symbols to represent ideas or objects in language.

Communication Clarity

The measure of how effectively ideas are communicated.