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Chapter 7
Language Development
24
Psychology
Undergraduate 1
10/06/2014

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Term
Phonemes
Definition
The smallest unit of sound that affects the meaning of speech. The English language consists of 53 phonemes. By changing the beginning phoneme, the word "hat" becomes "cat."
Term
Morphemes
Definition
The smallest unit of language that has meaning. A word can be one morpheme but morphemes are also roots, stems, prefixes, and suffixes. When speaking of more than one bat, we add the morpheme "s."
Term
Semantics
Definition
The study of meaning in language.
Term
Syntax or Grammar
Definition
The set of rules that determine how words are combined to make phrases and sentences.
Term
Phonetics
Definition
The study of how sounds are put together to make words.
Term
Pragmatics
Definition
Includes the social aspects of language, including politeness, conversational interactions, and conversational rules.
Term
Psycholinguistics
Definition
The study of the psychological mechanisms related to the acquisition and use of language.
Term
Noam Chomsky
Definition

The linguist who argued humans are prepared at birth to acquire language. He argued that the human brain is pre-wired with a "language acquisition device."

 

He distinguished between a sentence's surface structure (the words actually spoken) and its deep structure (its underlying meaning).

Term
Cooing
Definition
The first stage of language development. This stage begins with reflexive, spontaneous sounds that elicit caregivers’ vocalizations. The caregiver’s response reinforces the baby’s cooing
Term
Babbling
Definition

The second stage of language development. These vocalizations elicit responses from others in the infant’s environment which in turn reinforce the child’s babbling.

 

The sounds produced during the babbling stage will be shaped into the baby’s first words

Term
Holophrases
Definition

The term for a word that stands for a sentence or more in the early speech of children. A one-word utterance, “Up” may mean “Grandma, please pick me up!”

 

So the word could be interpreted to mean an entire phrase.

Term
Telegraphic speech
Definition
The term for the abbreviated speech of young children in which two or three word combinations stand in place of complex sentences. In this way the speech is economical. This speech contains the content words necessary to convey meaning, similar to a telegram.
Term

Semantic overextension

(overgeneralization)

Definition

This is the term for applying a category label, “ball” to things that are not members of the category, but share some similar characteristics, globe

 

Ex. A child who calls ALL four-legged, furry animals (cats, dogs, etc.) "doggie".

Term
fast mapping
Definition

The process that Susan Carey suggested is used during the rapid vocabulary growth of the second year children will connect a word to an underlying meaning after only a brief encounter

 

Children from 18-20 months of age are in the two-word stage of language development because they are now making short, two-word sentences (e.g., "More milk," "Where ball?").

 

 

Term
overregularizations
Definition

This is the term for applying syntactic rules as if there were no exceptions to these rules.

 

For example, children (by age 4-5) may say “Goed” instead of “went” because they are applying the rule that says “To make a verb past tense, add -ed."

Term
expansions
Definition

A technique observed in caregivers in which the caregiver responds to a child’s vocalization by repeating it in a more complex and advanced way

 

If a child says "Mommy up," mother might reply "Oh, you want me to pick you up.".

Term
recasts
Definition

A technique observed in caregivers in which the caregiver repeats a child’s verbalization after correcting the child’s mistakes.

 

If a child says "He goed," mother might reply "Yes, he went home."

Term
nativist theory
Definition
An approach to language development that argues humans are innately predisposed to acquire a language - so children are somehow biologically programmed to learn language.
Term
language acquisition device
Definition
The term Noam Chomsky used for how the human brain is pre-wired for language. Chomsky believes that this device gives children an innate ability to process speech and to  understand both the fundamental relationships among words and the regularities of speech.
Term
empiricist theory
Definition
An approach to language development that argues humans are born with a tabula rasa or blank slate and learn language through experience
Term
Bilingualism
Definition
Being fluent in two languages
Term
transformational grammar theory
Definition
When we hear a spoken sentence, we do not retain the surface structure, but instead transform it into its deep structure.
Term
Motherese
Definition
It is speech that contains nouns and active verbs. Pronouns, adjectives, conjunctions, and past tenses are usually absent. The sentences are enunciated clearly, often in a high-pitched voice. Many researchers believe that motherese helps children learn language.
Term
Sensitive period for language development
Definition
would support the nativist view. It ends at or around puberty
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