Language: Comprehension, Production, & Bilingualism Dr. Claudia J. Stanny EXP 4507 Memory & Cognition Spring 2009

Overview Role of psycholinguistics in the history of cognitive psychology Comprehension Cognitive factors Social factors Producing language Speaking Writing Claudia J. Stanny2

Comprehending Sentences Negation Passive voice Nested sentences Ambiguous sentences Comprehending discourse Create an integrated representation (scri Claudia J. Stanny3

Comprehending Discourse Create an integrated representation of text Role of schemas and scripts Construct mental models Making inferences Use semantic knowledge Metacomprehension Monitor understanding and adjust reading strategy Monitor level of attention to the reading task Claudia J. Stanny4

Producing Sentences Linearization problem Prosody Speech errors: Slips of the tongue Claudia J. Stanny5

Producing Discourse Narrative structure Overview Summary of characters and setting Action that complicates the situation Point of the story Resolution of the story Signal that the story is ended Claudia J. Stanny6

APA Style as Narrative Structure Abstract Introduction Method Participants Materials Design Procedure Results Discussion References Claudia J. Stanny7

Pragmatics Social Context of Speech Common ground Lexical entrainment Directives Claudia J. Stanny8

Grice (1975) Maxims for Conversation Guidelines for cooperation among speakers to make a conversation intelligible Quantity Provide the right amount of information for the audience. Provide enough detail to be informative without providing excess detail. Quality Provide accurate information. Do not intentionally mislead, make false statements, or statements that can not be supported by evidence Relevance Provide only information that is relevant to goals or the direction of the conversation Manner Clarity, organization, avoid ambiguity

Modifications of Grice’s Maxims Adapting maxims to other forms of communication: Formal written communication Electronic media Non-Gricean discourse: Deceit, long-windedness, obscurity Deliberate violations of a maxim to make a point Claudia J. Stanny10

Implications for Writers Think of your writing as a conversation Absence of the conversation partner means you will not have opportunities to fix misunderstandings Know your audience and write for this audience Who are you writing for and why are you writing? What is the right level of detail for this audience? What are the goals of your writing (what are you trying to say?) Create common ground, build on this in your writing Establish the topic and initial common knowledge Clearly connect new text to this established context Write as clearly and plainly as possible Provide adequate and appropriate support for your claims and assertions Claudia J. Stanny11

Bilingualism Acquisition of a second language increases expertise in first language Metalinguistic skill improvements Increased sensitivity to pragmatics of language General improvements in concept formation and measures of creativity Issues related to age of acquisition of a second language Claudia J. Stanny12