Language Acquisition in Development

Definitions

• Language: A system of thinking and communicating using arbitrary symbols (words, gestures) in a rule-based manner for external communication and internal thought.
  • Arbitrary symbols: The connection between symbols and meanings is not intrinsic (e.g., "dog").
  • Types: Verbal, written, gestural (e.g., sign language is equal to spoken language).

Syntax

• Syntax: The set of rules that create meaning from words.
  • Word Order: English follows a Subject/Verb/Object structure (e.g., "John kicked the dog"). Other languages like Japanese are Subject/Object/Verb (e.g., "John dog kicked").
  • Morphology: Languages like English use morphemes to indicate tense or number (e.g., table/tables), while others may use entirely new words.

Language Acquisition

• Language Acquisition: The process by which a child learns their first language through stages from phonemes to pragmatics.
  • Production/Comprehension Asymmetry: Children comprehend language before producing sentences.

Phonemes

• Phonetic Development: Begins early; by five months in utero, fetuses recognize phonemes from the surrounding language.
  • Perceptual Narrowing: Babies can initially hear all phonemes but start to tune into only those specific to their community.

Syntax in Children

• Overgeneralization: Children may apply syntax rules incorrectly, such as saying "I eated him" or "mouses" to learn past tenses and plurals, showing they grasp rules, not mere imitation.

Semantics

• Word Learning Strategies:
  • Fast Mapping: Children associate a word with its meaning after a single exposure.
  • Mutual Exclusivity: Assumption that each object has one label; new words correspond to unfamiliar objects.

Pragmatics

• Pragmatic Development: Children struggle to understand nuances until age 7-9, often interpreting directions too literally (e.g., "keep your eye on the ball").

Bilingualism: Costs

• Delayed Production: Bilingual children may start speaking 2-4 months later than monolingual children.
• Slower Syntax Acquisition: Initial syntactic skills might be lower in bilinguals compared to monolinguals.
• Reduced Mutual Exclusivity: Bilinguals face difficulties using mutual exclusivity because objects may have multiple labels.

Bilingualism: Benefits

• Dual Language Mastery: By ages 4-6, bilingual children catch up to monolinguals in proficiency in both languages.
• Cognitive Control: Bilinguals exhibit better inhibitory control and delayed gratification.
• Aging Benefits: Bilingualism aids in preserving long-term memory and cognitive functions as individuals age.