presentation questions

Roman Jakobson: What does it mean that “sounds are made of features, not blobs”?

each speech sound is built from simple yes/no settings (like voiced vs voiceless)
and those settings create the contrasts that change words (e.g., pat vs bat

Why does Jakobson say language is mostly unconscious?

speakers follow patterns they can’t always explain

How do child learning and aphasia support Roman Jakobson’s ideas—and why does it matter beyond linguistics?

Kids gradually acquire contrasts while people with aphasia can lose the harder ones first,
showing 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 imitating adults

Why was the Wug test conducted?

to test whether children learn language through an
internalized system of rules or simply through imitation and repetition

What are some of Jean Berko’s major research interests and contribution?

Language Acquisition in children, Aphasia and Language attrition

What widely known linguist did Eric Lenneberg work with?

Noam Chomsky

what was the critical period hypothesis?

the best time to learn language is early in life, and the ability to do so is much more difficult the older you get.

What brain process did Lenneberg study involving the specialization of the halves of the
brain?

Lateralization

Roger Brown: What is an example of a stage 1 utterance?

More Juice, Dog sleep, Doggy eat

Roger Brown: What is an action + object phrase?

Daddy go, Dog bark, Mommy come

What do SLPs use Browns stages for?

to diagnose language difficulties by identifying if certain
morphemes are acquired by children or not.

What was BF Skinner’s performed experiment?

Superstition in the Pigeon

What was B.F. Skinner's Theory?

Operant Condition

What type of theorist was B.F. Skinner?

Behaviorist

Why did Vygotsky believe language plays one of the main roles in thoughts and learning?

Language is more than communication rather it becomes a tool for children to interpret the language they hear as their own thoughts, plans, and solved problems through social
interactions known as "inner speech”

According to Vygotsky, what is the relationship between learning and development?

Learning comes before development

What is Steven Pinker’s main theory about language?

language is a natural process people are born with, not learned

What does Pinker mean by “The Language Instinct”?

Language is more like growing than learning because of evolution.

How does Pinker’s point of view differ from behaviorist theories of language like Skinner?

Imitation and reinforcement cannot explain the creativity and complexity of the human
language

What are the 3 parts of Bloom’s language model?

Content, form, and use

What did Bloom believe was more important to study in children’s language development, grammar or meaning?

Meaning

How did Lois Bloom’s research challenge earlier theories of language development?

Bloom showed that children build meaning by using language intentionally to
express ideas, needs, and relationships