60 Questions
What is language Bloom?
A conventional system of arbitrary signals representing ideas about the world
What is an example of animal communication mentioned in the text?
Vervet monkeys using specific cries to warn of specific dangers
What does the text say about the future of languages?
By 2100, more than half of the 7,000 languages spoken on Earth may disappear
What is the 'Frame of Reference Problem' mentioned in the text?
The difficulty in matching objects to words due to too many choices
What is the difference between language and speech according to the text?
Speech is the neurological control of movement to create sounds, while language is a conventional system of arbitrary signals representing ideas about the world
What is the consequence of a language dying, as mentioned in the text?
Loss of knowledge about history, culture, and the natural environment
What is the main focus of language according to the text?
Representing ideas about the world through a conventional system of arbitrary signals
What is an example of a specific danger that vervet monkeys warn about through their cries?
Snakes vs. eagles
What can be observed to determine if the 'Frame of Reference Problem' is a challenge?
Observing children's visual attention while playing with a parent
What is the primary cause of uncertainty in the 'Frame of Reference Problem'?
Too many choices
What does the sensitive period hypothesis propose about language acquisition?
It must occur within a critical period or it will be disordered
According to the nativist approach, how is language acquisition viewed?
Biologically based but influenced by the environment
What is holophrastic speech?
Using a single word to denote a relational meaning
What did Genie's language abilities at age 13.5 demonstrate?
Equivalent to a 1-year-old and cognitive ability to acquire language despite deprivation
What does the nativist approach propose about infants' ability to discriminate sound contrasts?
Infants are born with the ability to discriminate sound contrasts
What is the significance of vocabulary expansion in infants around 18 months?
Possibly related to understanding words as symbols representing categories of objects
What do early overextended words in infants refer to?
Applied to a wider range of referents than in adult usage
What do theories of language acquisition learning account for?
Reinforcement, imitation, and disordered input
What did Genie's language abilities demonstrate regarding word order rules and morphological rules?
Acquired word order rules but not morphological rules
How do infants comprehend word-order rules before combining words in their speech?
They comprehend basic word-order rules before combining words
What are the modifications involved in Child-Directed Speech (CDS)?
Phonological, grammatical, and pragmatic changes
What are the two hypotheses about CDS modifications?
Strong form (necessary for language acquisition) and weak form (facilitate language acquisition)
In which culture are infants not viewed as conversational partners and language is not simplified for children?
Kaluli
What is the role of Child-Directed Speech discussed in terms of?
Quantity vs quality
In which historical period did attempts to teach apes to speak date back to?
18th century
What is the ratio of maternal utterances containing a grammatical error?
1 out of 1500
Which verbal environment involves negotiation of meaning in communicative interactions?
Western
What are the three cultures mentioned in relation to different social organizations of verbal environments?
Western, Kaluli, Western Samoa
What does language development largely study in terms of children?
First-born children in middle-class families
What cultural assumptions are made about infant behavior and language acquisition?
In mainstream Western culture
What is the primary cause of uncertainty in the 'Frame of Reference Problem'?
Too many choices leading to difficulty matching objects to words
What is the main focus of language according to the text?
Representation of ideas through a conventional system of signals
What does the sensitive period hypothesis propose about language acquisition?
Language acquisition is most successful during a specific period of development
What is an example of animal communication mentioned in the text?
Vervet monkeys using specific cries to warn of specific dangers
What is the difference between language and speech according to the text?
Language involves representing ideas through signals, while speech refers to neurological control of sound production
What does the nativist approach propose about infants' ability to discriminate sound contrasts?
Infants are born with the ability to discriminate all phonetic contrasts
What cultural assumptions are made about infant behavior and language acquisition?
Language is simplified for children in all cultures
What is holophrastic speech?
Infants' use of single words to convey complete thoughts
What is the ratio of maternal utterances containing a grammatical error?
Less than 5%
What is the significance of vocabulary expansion in infants around 18 months?
It reflects exposure to a diverse linguistic environment
What does the sensitive period hypothesis propose about language acquisition?
It must occur within a critical period, or it will be disordered
What does the nativist approach suggest about language acquisition?
It is biologically based but varies with the environment
What is holophrastic speech?
Using a single word to denote a relational meaning rather than a strictly referential meaning
What did Genie's language abilities demonstrate regarding word order rules and morphological rules?
She acquired word order rules but not morphological rules
What does the acquisition of a sophisticated language system challenge according to the text?
The strict nativist view
What is the primary focus of infants according to the text?
To increase the likelihood of looking at the correct object when labeled by parents
What does the nativist approach propose about infants' ability to discriminate sound contrasts?
Infants are born with the ability to discriminate sound contrasts, even for sounds they aren't exposed to
What is the significance of vocabulary expansion in infants around 18 months?
Possibly related to understanding words as symbols representing categories of objects
What do early words being overextended in infants refer to?
Applied to a wider range of referents than in adult usage
What do theories of language acquisition learning account for?
Reinforcement, imitation, and disordered input
What is the primary focus of Child-Directed Speech (CDS)?
Recasting the child's utterances in simple, grammatical sentences
What do the strong and weak hypotheses about CDS modifications relate to?
The necessity of CDS for language acquisition
In which culture are infants not viewed as conversational partners and language is not simplified for children?
Kaluli culture
What does the sensitive period hypothesis propose about language acquisition?
Language acquisition is limited to a specific period in childhood
What did historical attempts to teach apes to speak conclude?
Apes are incapable of learning speech
What is the role of Child-Directed Speech discussed in terms of?
Quantity vs quality
What did Robert Yerkes conclude from his experiments with chimpanzees in the 1920s?
Chimpanzees cannot learn speech
What is the significance of language development being largely studied in first-born children in middle-class families?
It leads to universal theories of language acquisition
What do the three cultures (Western, Kaluli, Western Samoa) have different social organizations of?
Verbal environments
What is the ratio of maternal utterances containing a grammatical error?
1 in 1500
Study Notes
Child-Directed Speech and Language Development
- Only 1 out of 1500 maternal utterances contained a grammatical error.
- Child-Directed Speech (CDS) involves parents engaging in conversations with a child, extending the topic introduced by the child, and recasting the child's utterances in simple, grammatical sentences.
- CDS modifications include phonological, grammatical, and pragmatic changes such as higher pitch, slower speech, simplified word structure, and more questions.
- Two hypotheses about CDS modifications: strong form (necessary for language acquisition) and weak form (facilitate language acquisition).
- Language development is largely studied in first-born children in middle-class families by Western researchers, leading to cultural assumptions about infant behavior and language acquisition.
- Three cultures (Western, Kaluli, Western Samoa) have different social organizations of verbal environments and negotiation of meaning in communicative interactions.
- In mainstream Western culture, the negotiation of meaning involves adapting situations to the child and using CDS, expansions, and self-lowering strategies.
- The Kaluli people of Papua New Guinea have a verbal environment where language is culturally valued, but infants are not viewed as conversational partners and language is not simplified for children.
- Acquiring language is influenced by the process of becoming a competent member of society, and caregivers ensure children understand and display appropriate behavior.
- The role of Child-Directed Speech is discussed in terms of quantity vs quality, with studies showing a positive relationship between mothers' use of pretend utterances and children's vocabulary comprehension.
- Teaching language to apes may shed light on the nature of language, cognitive and intellectual capacities, and the development of language in early humans.
- Historical attempts to teach apes to speak date back to the 18th century, with Robert Yerkes experimenting with chimpanzees in the 1920s and concluding that they could not learn speech.
Child-Directed Speech and Language Development
- Only 1 out of 1500 maternal utterances contained a grammatical error.
- Child-Directed Speech (CDS) involves parents engaging in conversations with a child, extending the topic introduced by the child, and recasting the child's utterances in simple, grammatical sentences.
- CDS modifications include phonological, grammatical, and pragmatic changes such as higher pitch, slower speech, simplified word structure, and more questions.
- Two hypotheses about CDS modifications: strong form (necessary for language acquisition) and weak form (facilitate language acquisition).
- Language development is largely studied in first-born children in middle-class families by Western researchers, leading to cultural assumptions about infant behavior and language acquisition.
- Three cultures (Western, Kaluli, Western Samoa) have different social organizations of verbal environments and negotiation of meaning in communicative interactions.
- In mainstream Western culture, the negotiation of meaning involves adapting situations to the child and using CDS, expansions, and self-lowering strategies.
- The Kaluli people of Papua New Guinea have a verbal environment where language is culturally valued, but infants are not viewed as conversational partners and language is not simplified for children.
- Acquiring language is influenced by the process of becoming a competent member of society, and caregivers ensure children understand and display appropriate behavior.
- The role of Child-Directed Speech is discussed in terms of quantity vs quality, with studies showing a positive relationship between mothers' use of pretend utterances and children's vocabulary comprehension.
- Teaching language to apes may shed light on the nature of language, cognitive and intellectual capacities, and the development of language in early humans.
- Historical attempts to teach apes to speak date back to the 18th century, with Robert Yerkes experimenting with chimpanzees in the 1920s and concluding that they could not learn speech.
Test your knowledge of Child-Directed Speech and its impact on language development with this quiz. Explore the modifications in CDS, cultural influences on language acquisition, and the role of CDS in children's vocabulary comprehension. Delve into the historical attempts to teach language to apes and their implications for understanding human language development.
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