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Questions and Answers
Which design feature of language refers to the relationship between language symbols and the concepts they represent being arbitrary?
What is the term for the phenomenon where language stimuli can be perceived at different levels of representation simultaneously?
Which type of grammar provides completely arbitrary rules, like the rule 'do not end sentences with prepositions'?
Which main function of grammar relates to the constraints on word order in different languages?
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What do we call systematic rules that determine how people actually speak in a language?
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What is recursion in the context of language?
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According to the comparative method, what is the view of modern human language's relation to more primitive communication systems?
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What distinguishes human language from non-human primate communication?
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Why does recursion not exist in Pirahã language?
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What was a significant finding from teaching American Sign Language (ASL) to non-human primates?
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Study Notes
Language Design Features
- The relationship between language symbols and the concepts they represent is arbitrary, meaning there is no inherent connection between the two.
Language Perception
- The phenomenon where language stimuli can be perceived at different levels of representation simultaneously is called parallel processing.
Grammar Types
- Prescriptive grammar provides completely arbitrary rules, such as the rule 'do not end sentences with prepositions', aiming to impose a standardized language use.
Grammar Functions
- The main function of grammar related to word order constraints in different languages is syntactic function.
Language Rules
- The systematic rules that determine how people actually speak in a language are called descriptive rules.
Recursion in Language
- Recursion in the context of language refers to the ability to embed phrases or clauses within each other, creating an infinite range of possible sentences.
Comparative Method
- According to the comparative method, modern human language evolved from more primitive communication systems.
Human Language vs. Non-Human Primate Communication
- What distinguishes human language from non-human primate communication is the ability to create an infinite range of expressions from a finite set of elements.
Recursion in Pirahã Language
- Recursion does not exist in the Pirahã language, which lacks the ability to embed phrases or clauses within each other.
Teaching ASL to Non-Human Primates
- A significant finding from teaching American Sign Language (ASL) to non-human primates is that they can be trained to learn human-like language abilities.
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Description
Test your knowledge of Hockett’s Design Features, including Semanticity, Arbitrariness, Displacement, Duality of Patterning, and Generativity. Explore the relationship between language symbols and concepts, spatial and temporal displacement in language, and the simultaneous perception of language stimuli at different levels of representation.
