1. Its all about communication!!!
Language and Thought 1
Its all about communication!!!

2. Language 1
Language – enables us to communicate, share history, build culture and share feelings.
M. & E. Bernheim/ Woodfin Camp & Associates
Language transmits culture.

3. Language 2
Our spoken written or gestured words and the way we combine them to communicate meaning.
Believe it or not, this communication is a form of language!!!

4. Phonemes 3 In a spoken language, the smallest distinctive sound unit.
Chug has three phonemes, ch, u, g.
How many phonemes does platypus have?

5. Morphemes 4 In a language, the smallest unit that carries meaning.
Can be a word or part of a word (prefix or suffix).

6. Combination of phonemes/ morphemes 4a
Bat – three phonemes b – a – t
Morphemes
Milk = milk
Pumpkin = pump kin
Unforgettable – un for get table

7. Grammar 5
A system of rules in a language that enables us to communicate and understand others.

8. Semantics 6 The set of rules by which we derive meaning in a language.
Adding ed at the end of words means past tense.
The Chinese languages do not have expansive semantic rules. They usually have totally different symbols for different tenses.

9. Syntax 7
The rules for combining words into grammatically sensible sentences.
In English, adjectives come before nouns, but not in Spanish!!
Is this the White House of the House White?

10. Structure 7a Surface structure: Deep structure: Word strings
Abstract representation of relationships in a sentence
Speech: bottom up processing – recognize specific/ changing features of sounds
Top down processing: use of hands, face to face conversations
Social norms: doctor’s office: How are you? Fine.

11. Transformation rules 7b
Rules that allow us to change a declarative sentence into other voices (passive, active)
Productivity ability of language to generate new thoughts or ideas

12. Children learn their native languages much before learning to add 2+2.
Language Development 8
Children learn their native languages much before learning to add 2+2.
We learn, on average (after age 1), 3,500 words a year, amassing 60,000 words by the time we graduate from high school.
Time Life Pictures/ Getty Images

13. Language Development 9
Babbling Stage: starting at 3-4 months, the infant makes spontaneous sounds. Not limited to the phonemes of the infant’s household language.
One-word stage: 1-2 years old, uses one word to communicate big meanings.
Two word stage: at age 2, uses two words to communicate meanings- called telegraphic speech.

14. When do we learn language? 9a
Babbling Stage: Beginning at 4 months, the infant spontaneously utters various sounds, like ah-goo. Babbling is not imitation of adult speech.
After age 1, average 13 new words a day
OBJECTIVE 12| Trace the course of language acquisition from the babbling stage through two-word stage.

15. Telegraphic speech 9b Two word stage Child speaks like a telegram
Uses nouns primarily
Go car
Means I would like to go for a ride in a car

16. Skinner 10
Skinner thought that we can explain language development through social learning theory (which is?).
The young boy imitates his dad, then gets a reward.

17. Skinner 10a Operant learning
Language development explained on basis of learning principles
Association
Imitation
reinforcement

18. Chomsky Inborn Universal Grammar 11
We acquire language too quickly for it to be learned.
We have this “learning box” inside our heads that enable us to learn any human language.

19. Chomsky 11a Built in universal grammar
Mechanism – allows us to identify basic parts of a language
Unique speech – generating process of mouth and throat – Broca’s area in the brain
Wernicke’s area – humans innately prewired for language
CRITICAL PERIODS FOR LEARNING

20. Explaining Language Development 12
Statistical Learning and Critical Periods: Well before our first birthday, our brains are discerning word breaks by statistically analyzing which syllables in hap-py-ba-by go together. These statistical analyses are learned during critical periods of child development.

21. Whorf’s Linguistic Relativity 13
The idea that language determines the way we think (not vive versa).
The Hopi tribe has no past tense in their language, so Whorf says they rarely think of the past.

22. Whorf 13a
Key concept: individual’s thoughts are influenced by the language they have available to express them
If you do not have number words, then having four of an item – does not make sense to you
Many do not like or believe this theory

23. Thinking without Language 14
We can think in words.
But more often we think in mental pictures.
In 1977, Reggie Jackson hit 3 HR’s against the Dodgers. He has stated that before each at bat, he visualizes crushing a home run. Do you think visualization helps?

24. Learning new languages gets harder with age.
Language & Age 15
Learning new languages gets harder with age.