Week 1 - language and thought

aphasia

A language disorder caused by damage to the brain responsible for communication ( typically left side) . It affects a person's ability to speak, understand language, read and write. It can be caused by a stroke, head injury or brain tumour.

generativity

The ability to understand and produce an infinite number of meaningful sentences and ideas using a finite set of linguistic rules and elements. It explains how we can create and understand sentences that we have never heard before.

prevarication

The deliberate use of ambiguous or misleading language to avoid telling the truth or to obscure a meaning to avoid answering the question directly without stating something false

Sound symbolism

Idea that sounds in a word can give clues about its meaning, some sounds are connected to emotions. This is what allows people to guess words in a foreign language due to the sounds.

syntax

A set of rules that explain how words should be arranged to form sentences in language so that they make sense

Broca's area

Region in the left frontal lobe of the lobe that is essential for language production, especially grammar and sentence structure. It helps us to form sentences and speak clearly. Damage to Broca's area can lead to Broca's aphasia

lexigram

Visual symbols that represent a word or idea without using letters. They don’t have to look like the word they represent. Researchers use them to teach language like skills to animals

Linguistic determinism

Theory that a person's native language structures and limits their thought processes, perception and knowledge of the world.

egocentric

Seeing the world from your own point of view without considering others thoughts and feelings

allocentric

Seeing the world from someone else's point of view, considering their thoughts and feelings - this is key to empathy

mentalese

Theoretical concept referring to the language of thought, it is our internal system / code for reasoning and ideas before they are expressed in spoken or written language

language includes non-verbal aspects?

yes - eg. tone or speed

Hockett's 'reflexiveness' means that we can use language to deceive?

no, we can use langiage to talk about language

Lexigrams used for communication with apes are a form of sign language? 

not a form of sing langiage, they are depictions of actions

allocentric reasoning uses a relative frame of reference?

no - egocentric does