Language Acquisition Notes 1.2

Origins of Language

  • Natural Sound Source: Language originated from imitating natural sounds. (Bow-Wow theory)

  • Social Interaction Source: Language developed from the need for social cooperation during group tasks. (Yo-He-Ho theory)

  • Physical Adaptation Source: Biological and anatomical changes enabled speech.

  • Tool-Making Source: Evolution of hand gestures and tool-making influenced language areas in the brain.

  • Genetic Source: Humans have an innate genetic capacity for language. (Universal Grammar)

First Language Acquisition

  • Requirements:

    • Interaction with language users.

    • Cultural transmission within a language-using environment.

    • Physical capability to send/receive sound signals.

Caregiver Speech

  • Frequent questions, exaggerated intonation, loudness, and slower tempo.

  • Simplified words and repetition.

  • Simple sentence structures.

Acquisition Schedule

  • Cooing:

    • First few months: vowel-like sounds (e.g., [i] and [u]).

    • Four months: consonants [k] and [g].

  • Babbling:

    • Six to eight months: vowels, consonants, and combinations (e.g., ba-ba, ga-ga).

    • Nine to ten months: recognizable intonation patterns.

    • Nasal sounds become common (e.g., ma-ma-ma, da-da-da).

    • Ten to eleven months: vocalizations express emotions.

  • One-Word Stage (Holophrastic):

    • Twelve to eighteen months: single terms for objects (e.g., milk, cat, cup).

  • Two-Word Stage:

    • Eighteen to twenty months: vocabulary expands.

    • Two years old: two-word combinations (e.g., baby chair).

  • Telegraphic Speech:

    • Two to two-and-a-half years old: variation in word forms.

    • Strings of words in phrases (e.g., cat drink milk, daddy go bye).

    • Simple prepositions and grammatical inflections start.