Intention to Articulation

Language: Core Definition

  • Collection of symbols + rules that yield infinite messages
  • Three key traits
    • 11 Symbolic : words only represent, never resemble, referents
    • 22 Generative : finite elements → limitless novel utterances
    • 33 Structured : governed by orderly rules (grammar)

Speech-Production Pipeline (Intention → Articulation)

  • Conceptualizer
    • Generates message, internally monitors (working memory, attentional control)
  • Formulator
    • Grammatical encoding → surface structure
    • Phonological encoding → pronunciation plan (consults lexicon)
  • Articulator (Broca’s area)
    • Executes phonetic plan → audible speech
  • Speech-comprehension system (Wernicke’s area)
    • Hears own output → feeds back for error monitoring/correction

Interacting Knowledge Modules

  • Semantics : meaning representations
  • Lexicon : mental word store
  • Morphology : rules for building complex words
  • Syntax : word-order rules
  • Phonology : sound-pattern rules

Lexicon Selection (Meaning Stage)

  • Morpheme = smallest meaning unit
    • Includes stems, prefixes, suffixes, contractions, bound bases
  • Morphemes ≠ syllables (e.g., ss plural vs. Le-vi-a-than)

Language Acquisition & Overgeneralization

  • Past-tense rule “add eded” initially overapplied (e.g., goed)
    • Produces U-shaped accuracy curve: imitation → overgeneralize → master exceptions

Grammar Encoding

  • Grammar = rule set for forming legal sentences
  • Early “Association view” (adjacent-word pairings) fails: cannot cover infinite combinations or non-adjacent relations
  • Chomsky: language is hierarchical, not serial associations

Hierarchical Units (small → large)

  • Phoneme → Morpheme → Word → Phrase → Sentence → Paragraph → Discourse

Phrase-Structure vs. Transformational Grammar

  • Phrase-structure: Sentence = Noun Phrase + Verb Phrase (rigid, limits transformations)
  • Transformational grammar: treats noun phrases separately, allowing surface transformations (active ↔ passive) • Example
    • Active : The man captured a bird
    • Passive : A bird was captured by the man

Key Takeaways

  • Production = select words (meaning) → order by rules (grammar) → encode sounds (phonology) → articulate → self-monitor
  • Morphemes carry meaning; phonemes carry sound
  • Children reveal rule extraction via overgeneralization; adult competence reflects hierarchical, transformational rule knowledge