Linguistic Anthropology Development Vocab

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Aquire language

map the details of a specific language onto the universal grammar

Learn language

discovering the specific details of how to speak and use that particular language by interaction with individuals who speak it

Communication

the sending of signals/sending receiving of signals

Design features of language

the features by which human language could be identified and distinguished from the more general category of animal communication

Vocal-auditory channel

the use of hearing and speaking as key features of language

Broadcast transmission and directional reception

the sounds of human language are sent out in all directions but that listeners percieve those sounds as coming from a specific direction (ex. when a teacher lectures, students can tell just by listening where in the room she is standing)

Rapid fading (or transitoriness)

language signals don’t last very long; speech in particular fades quickly, when it’s gone it’s gone (unless recorded)

Interchangeability

a speaker can send and receive the same signal (a man can say “i am a woman” regardless of gender)

Total feedback

speakers can hear themselves talk (or feel themself sign) and that they can monitor what they say as they say it

Specialization

language sounds are specialized for communication (in contrast, dogs pant bc they’re tired, not bc they want to communicate)

Semanticity

specific sound signals can be directly linked to specific meanings (salt only refers to salt and not sugar)

Arbitrariness

there is no necessary or casual connection between a signal and its meaning (for example the word salt does not look or feel like salt)

Discreteness

units for communication can be separated into distinct units that cannot be mistaken for one another (b and p are separate sounds to English speakers)

Displacement

(unique to humans) you can talk about things that are not present (ie mars, your cousin in the next room)

Productivity

(unique to humans) allows you to reproduce and comprehend entirely new utterances that you’ve never spoken before or head or seen (like poems or weird words like fruit flies like a banana)

Traditional transmission

(unique to humans) language is learned in social groups

Duality of patterning

(unique to humans) the combination of discreteness and productivity, where discrete units of language of one level can be combined with units from another level (k, a, t, can be combined to be cat, act, tack)

Blending

the mixing of two signals into a new one (like brunch being breakfast and lunch)

Innatist theories

tell us that language is already hardwired into the human brain at birth. “core grammar” provides a universal set of rules, rules allow the brain to function as a acquisition device, enabling children to develop linguistic abilities

language-acquisition device

compares specific languages with the core grammar and helps children to make the necessary adjustments as they acquire specific languages

Behaviorist theories

tell us that children need to hear language from others around them (stimulus) and to receive praise (positive feedback) from parents/caretakers to develop their linguistic abilities

Cognitivist theories

tell us that as children develop their intellectual abilities, their linguistic abilities follow suit (children must comprehend concepts relating to quantity before saying “more” or “less”)

theory theory (active construction of a grammar theory)

argues that children observe and interact with the world around them and form theories about their experiences - language is the result of a complex set of theories that children create about the linguistic stimuli they are exposed to

Cortex

neurons are within the cortex, which is the convoluted surface of the brain, old cortex controls long-term memory and emotions

Neocortex

younger/larger part of the cortex, divided into frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes

cerebral hemispheres

two two hemispheres, left and right, are joined in the middle by the corpus callosum - one side controls opposite side of body (left hemisphere controls right hand) language handled by left hemisphere, perceptual pattern recognition by the right

corpus callosum

joins left and right hemispheres, membrane made up of more than two million fibers connecting the cells of the two hemispheres

broca’s area

an area of the frontal region of the left hemisphere. damage to this area affects clarity of speech, responsible for the motor movements that are required for physical control of voice

wernicke’s area

controls the understanding of words and the ability to converse with others