Ling/Psyc 370B, Language Input Lecture #7 & #8

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary function of child-directed speech (CDS)?

To expose children to a wide range of vocabulary from a young age.
To simplify language input, facilitating language acquisition. (correct)
To correct children's pronunciation and grammar directly.
To teach children complex grammatical structures early on.

Which of the following best describes the relationship between interaction and input in language acquisition?

Interaction enhances the quality and relevance of input, making it more comprehensible. (correct)
Interaction is irrelevant to input as children primarily learn through passive listening.
Interaction hinders input processing by creating a distracting environment.
Interaction is only useful for social development, not for linguistic development.

What is a key characteristic that distinguishes child-directed speech (CDS) from adult-directed speech?

CDS often involves simplified vocabulary and exaggerated intonation. (correct)
CDS uses more complex sentence structures to challenge children.
CDS avoids repetition to expose children to a wider range of vocabulary.
CDS maintains consistent grammatical accuracy without modifications.

Why is the adaptation of speech by parents and caregivers considered important for children’s language development?

It tailors the linguistic input to the child’s current level of understanding. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Within the context of language acquisition, what constitutes 'quality input'?

Adapted speech from adults that is tailored to the child’s comprehension level. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is particularly significant about the use of 'motherese' in language acquisition?

It helps infants distinguish phonetic boundaries by exaggerating intonation. (C) Signup and view all the answers

How might the absence of child-directed speech (CDS) during early childhood potentially impact linguistic development?

It can lead to difficulties in phonological processing and vocabulary acquisition. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT directly mentioned as a metric or characteristic studied in relation to child-directed speech (CDS) and language acquisition in the provided content?

Syllable repetition rate (A) Signup and view all the answers

According to the information, what is the age range in months of the children in the study that considered the role of parentese?

6 - 24 months (C) Signup and view all the answers

What statement is true regarding the universality of CDS and its study across different linguistic environments?

Bilingual infants show a preference for North American English IDS. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which factor related to child-directed speech is emphasized as being more predictive of language outcomes, according to the information?

The quality of child-directed speech (C) Signup and view all the answers

What potential issue was highlighted concerning the study that re-tested children from MB1?

Test – re-test reliability issues. (A) Signup and view all the answers

According to research, what is the typical focus of conversations between adults and children?

The immediate context and present moment (A) Signup and view all the answers

What concept is being explored when investigating whether social interaction influences the learning of phonemic contrasts?

The role of input and interaction in language acquisition (A) Signup and view all the answers

What was a finding of MB1B?

Bilingual infants show a preference for North American English IDS. (D) Signup and view all the answers

In Child-Directed Speech (CDS), what role do diminutives play, as exemplified in the Russian language?

They minimize morphological complexity. (D) Signup and view all the answers

How might a caregiver use repetition and expansion in CDS to aid a child's language development?

By repeating and expanding on the child's utterances to clarify syntactic structure. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the sample size of children?

44 (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a topic that typically dominates conversations between adults and children?

Family members (C) Signup and view all the answers

What concept does conversational turn taking relate to?

All of the above (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is semantic bootstrapping, as it relates to children's language acquisition?

Children’s use of word meanings to learn syntactic structures. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What population needs more research regarding IDS (Infant Directed Speech)?

African infants (C) Signup and view all the answers

In the context of CDS, what grammatical characteristic is most typical of sentences used?

Simple, short, often incomplete sentences (C) Signup and view all the answers

What does research by Ramírez et al. (2024) suggest regarding consistent parentese and/or turn-taking?

It may correlate with language complexity at a later stage in development. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Why is morphological variety in CDS considered beneficial?

It helps minimize morphological complexities. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a common characteristic of the subject in CDS sentences?

It is typically an agent. (B) Signup and view all the answers

According to the information outlined, which topic is least likely to occur in conversations using CDS?

Quantum physics (B) Signup and view all the answers

According to the research presented, what differentiates the 'live language' group from the 'audio only' group in language acquisition?

The 'live language' group exhibits greater sensitivity to Mandarin sound contrasts. (A) Signup and view all the answers

A researcher is investigating the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on language acquisition. Based on the information, what outcome would be expected when comparing high SES and low SES families?

Children from low SES families tend to hear less speech, potentially leading to differences in vocabulary acquisition as early as 18 months. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of 'parental responsivity' as described?

Engaging in communicative exchanges with infants, treating them as conversational partners, which forms the basis for intentional communication. (C) Signup and view all the answers

In the context of corrective input, what is the primary function of a 'recast'?

To provide minor variations in the repetition/imitation of child speech, often correcting grammatical errors without explicit instruction. (A) Signup and view all the answers

According to the information, which environment would be most beneficial for language acquisition, considering social gating, parental responsivity, and corrective input?

An environment with frequent social interaction, responsive caregivers, and gentle language correction. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a typical characteristic of Child Directed Speech (CDS)?

Use of complex sentence structures (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of 'fine-tuning' in the context of Child Directed Speech (CDS)?

To adjust the caregiver's speech to match the child's emotional state (C) Signup and view all the answers

How does Infant Directed Speech (IDS) typically affect the pronunciation of consonants such as /t, d, n/ when followed by /b, p, m, g, k/?

They are always fully pronounced for clearer articulation (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the 'expansion of the vowel triangle' in Infant Directed Speech (IDS), as observed in studies involving English, Russian, and Swedish?

It increases the acoustic separation between vowel categories, potentially aiding in vowel discrimination (C) Signup and view all the answers

In the context of language acquisition, what is a 'register'?

A specific style of language used in particular situations (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect of caregiver language is MOST directly associated with modifications at the phonological level?

The exaggeration of pitch contours (A) Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes Infant Directed Speech (IDS) from general Child Directed Speech (CDS)?

IDS tends to focus on exaggerated phonological features, particularly in the first year of life (B) Signup and view all the answers

How does the use of Child Directed Speech (CDS) relate to the concept of 'input' in language acquisition?

CDS provides a simplified and modified form of the input language. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between 'parentese' and 'infant-directed speech'?

They are synonymous terms referring to the modified speech adults use with infants. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of syntax do children begin learning through the use of semantic bootstrapping?

Syntactic structures based on their understanding of word meanings. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following correlations regarding language acquisition is supported by the information?

The quality, not quantity, of child-directed speech can predict language outcomes. (C) Signup and view all the answers

When using CDS, what is the primary reason for a caregiver to repeat and expand on a child's utterances?

To model grammatically correct sentences and aid in syntactic structure learning. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following characteristics of child-directed speech (CDS) is most likely to aid in vocabulary acquisition related to concrete concepts?

Focusing conversations on the present moment and tangible items. (A) Signup and view all the answers

According to the provided information, what might be a limitation found in the MB1L study?

There may have been test – re-test reliability issues. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Consistent use of parentese as mentioned indicates particular awareness of what aspect of language acquisition?

The correlation between language complexity and turn-taking at a later stage of development. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Based on the universality studies, what was observed in MB1?

A preference for Infant Directed Speech (IDS) across various linguistic environments. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Based on the information, what does the acronym AWC refer to?

Adult Word Count (B) Signup and view all the answers

In what way does the use of diminutives in CDS, such as in the Russian language, primarily assist in language acquisition?

By minimizing morphological complexities. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What age range, in months, was primarily considered when looking at the effects of parentese?

6-24 months (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following exemplifies how parents and caregivers adapt their speech when interacting with children?

Employing a register known as child-directed speech (CDS) including baby talk, nursery talk or motherese. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between linguistic input, parent's speech adaptations, and language acquisition?

The speech adults use when interacting with children acts as quality linguistic input. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the distinction between 'input' and 'child directed speech' (CDS)?

CDS represents a specific kind of input tailored to young children. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is true regarding child-directed speech (CDS)?

CDS involves the adaptations and modifications parents do when speaking directly to young children. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of CDS in the context of interaction and input?

CDS helps to facilitate interaction, which aids in the language aquistition process. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes a characteristic of the phonological and phonetic changes observed in Infant-Directed Speech (IDS)?

Lengthening syllables and pronouncing phonemes with more clarity, especially vowels. (A) Signup and view all the answers

How does the register known as Child-Directed Speech (CDS) adapt over time?

By fine-tuning features like tone of voice to fit the child's emotional needs and preferences. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the MOST likely function of lengthening syllables in Infant Directed Speech (IDS)?

To help highlight and draw attention to the sounds of language for the infant. (A) Signup and view all the answers

How does the expansion of the vowel triangle in Infant Directed Speech (IDS) potentially benefit language acquisition?

It exaggerates the acoustic differences between vowels, possibly aiding in phoneme discrimination. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of 'fine-tuning' in the context of Child Directed Speech (CDS)?

It involves adjusting speech to align with a child’s emotional needs, optimizing engagement and comprehension. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Child Directed Speech (CDS)

The register used by adults to communicate with young children, often characterized by simplification and higher pitch.

Quality Input

High-quality speech from adults that is essential for children's language development.

Interaction and Input

The importance of engaging conversation between adults and children to enhance language skills.

Parent and Caregiver Speech Adaptation

The way parents and caregivers modify their speech style when talking to children, making it easier for them to learn language.