Language Acquisition Overview
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Questions and Answers

What are the three main stages identified in language acquisition?

  • Pre-linguistic stage, two-word stage, development of syntax
  • Single-word stage, multi-word stage, fluency stage
  • Pre-linguistic stage, one-word stage, two-word stage (correct)
  • Holophrastic stage, one-word stage, grammatical stage

What factor does NOT influence variations in language acquisition among children?

  • Educational background (correct)
  • Cultural
  • Social
  • Biological

Which stage marks the beginning of grammar development in language acquisition?

  • Pre-linguistic stage
  • Two-word stage (correct)
  • Holophrastic stage
  • One-word stage

How do children generally transition between stages of language acquisition?

<p>Gradually and smoothly (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which claim about language acquisition is considered universal among children?

<p>All children follow the same language acquisition stages (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of a crucial early stage in language learning before words are used?

<p>Pre-linguistic stage (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What kind of variations in language learning are observed among children?

<p>Biological, social, or cultural (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect is NOT commonly associated with language acquisition stages?

<p>Fixed duration of each stage (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the duration of the pre-linguistic stage in children?

<p>Birth to approximately 12 months (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

At what age can infants start to distinguish between similar consonant sounds?

<p>At 1 month old (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of sound do infants primarily produce before 2 months old?

<p>Crying (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What sounds do infants add to their communication repertoire at about 2 months old?

<p>Cooing (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

During the pre-linguistic stage, how do infants primarily communicate?

<p>Crying (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why are the ages given for each language learning stage considered rough guidelines?

<p>There is significant variation in language development among children (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What kind of sounds are associated with cooing in infants?

<p>Vowel sounds (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary activity of infants' sound production before the onset of cooing?

<p>Crying (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What skill do parents develop in response to their infants' cries?

<p>Identifying different types of cry (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the nature of the pre-linguistic stage?

<p>Characterized by comprehension and sound sensitivity (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of overregularisation in verb usage?

<p>Goed instead of went (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of plurals, what misapplication might children exhibit?

<p>Foots instead of feet (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of overregularisation in superlatives?

<p>Badder instead of worse (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary finding of Berko's study with the 'wug'?

<p>Children apply learned rules to novel words. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why do children use incorrect terms like 'goed' or 'badder'?

<p>They have not heard these terms from adults. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What linguistic phenomenon is shown when children create forms like 'sheeps'?

<p>Overregularisation (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

At what age do children typically begin to develop the communication skill of turn-taking?

<p>18 months (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements best describes children's language acquisition process?

<p>Children learn language rules and occasionally misapply them. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of language do children use when communicating with younger children?

<p>Motherese (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do children demonstrate their understanding of plurals with invented words?

<p>By applying learned rules to generate plural forms (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

By what age do most children develop the majority of communication skills?

<p>5 years (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'overregularisation' specifically refer to?

<p>The application of regular grammatical rules to irregular forms (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What non-verbal signal is commonly used by children to indicate the beginning and end of their utterances?

<p>Shifting eye gaze (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which example illustrates children’s linguistic creativity?

<p>Baddest instead of worst (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

At what age do children begin to use different speech forms for different audiences?

<p>4 years (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'pragmatics' refer to in language learning?

<p>The use of language for communication (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which age marks the period when most of the skills used in communication are learned?

<p>5 years (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What grammatical elements do children begin to use as they grow older?

<p>Conjunctions such as 'and' (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

At what age do children typically learn most of the grammar they will use as adults?

<p>5 years (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why do children likely misunderstand passive sentences?

<p>They often think the subject is the doer of the action. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of a passive sentence that 5-year-olds may not understand?

<p>The cat was chased by the dog. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The use of the term 'wug' in the study illustrates which aspect of children's language learning?

<p>Their application of learned grammatical rules. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What trend is observed in sentence length as children develop their language skills?

<p>Sentences tend to increase in length. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is typically not well understood by 5-year-old children?

<p>Passive sentences (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What developmental change occurs in grammar usage from preschool to the age of 5?

<p>They begin to use conjunctions to combine ideas. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of language development in preschool children?

<p>A gradual complexity in sentence structures (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of grammar learning, what does the 'wug' test demonstrate?

<p>Children can generate grammatical rules despite unfamiliar words. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Language Acquisition Stages

Children learn language in various stages, including pre-linguistic, one-word, and grammar development (starting with two-word stage).

Pre-linguistic Stage

The initial stage of language learning, where children communicate nonverbally (e.g., crying, babbling).

One-word Stage

A language learning stage where children start to use single words to express their needs and desires.

Development of Grammar

The stage where children start building sentences and using grammatical structures (starting with two-word phrases and expanding from there).

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Gradual Transition

The shift from one language learning stage to the next is a smooth, gradual process.

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Varied Language Acquisition

Children's language learning speed, vocabulary, and skills vary due to factors like biology, culture, and environment, although universal stages are observed.

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Universal Stages

Language learning stages are similar across different children, regardless of their language or society.

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Two-word Stage

A stage of language development where children begin to combine two words to form simple sentences or expressions.

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Infant Language Sensitivity

Infants show sensitivity to speech sounds early on, distinguishing similar sounds.

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Early Communication

Infants communicate through crying, with parents learning to differentiate cries.

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Cooing

Vowel sounds like 'oooo' that infants produce, often linked to pleasure.

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Early Sound Production

Crying is the primary sound produced during the first 2 months.

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Infant Sound Discrimination

Infants can distinguish between sounds like 'pa' and 'ba' as young as one month old.

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Language Development

Age ranges for language development stages are guides, not strict rules.

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Two-Word Sentences

Children using two-word sentences may still use single words for a while.

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Language Acquisition Variety

Variations in the pace of language acquisition exist.

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Developmental Ages

Stage ages are a guideline, not exact values.

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Overregularization

Applying grammatical rules inconsistently, especially in language acquisition, resulting in incorrect forms like "goed" or "sheeps"

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Irregular Verbs

Verbs with inconsistent past tense or past participle forms, requiring memorization instead of applying general rules.

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Plural Formation

The process of adding 's' for most nouns to make them plural; however, not all plurals are formed this way.

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Superlative Forms

Words expressing the highest degree, such as "biggest", "best", or "worst"; some adjectives do not follow standard patterns.

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Language Acquisition

The process by which humans acquire language, often involves the application of general rules and exceptions.

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Berko's Study

A study showing how children apply rules to unknown words, demonstrating understanding of language structures. Used "wug".

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General Language Rules

Underlying patterns and structures of a language, which children often apply, even to new words and situations.

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Wug Test

A test involving a fictitious creature (wug), asking children to apply plural rules, demonstrating their implicit understanding of grammar.

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Misapplication

Using a rule in an inappropriate way, resulting in an incorrect form.

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Language Rules

The system of grammatical rules that govern a language, which children often learn and apply, though not always correctly

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Child grammar development

Children's language development in pre-school involves increasing sentence length and using conjunctions, with most grammatical rules learned by age 5.

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Passive sentences

Sentences where the object of the action is emphasized (e.g., 'The cat was chased by the dog').

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Grammar learning

Children's language learning involves both applying known grammar rules and learning new rules.

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Rule application (children)

Children apply grammatical rules, even to novel words they've never heard before.

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Sentence complexity

Pre-school children's sentence structure becomes more complex and detailed.

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Conjunctions

Words like 'and' that connect ideas in a sentence.

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Understanding passive sentences

Younger children might have difficulty understanding passive sentences because the object, and not the actor, is emphasized.

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Figure 4.1

An experiment that tests children's understanding of grammar rules, especially using novel words.

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Language complexity

Language in preschool children evolves. Sentences get longer, and complex thoughts are strung together with conjunctions.

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Pragmatics

The study of how language is used in real-world situations to communicate effectively. This involves understanding social cues, adapting language for different audiences, and interpreting meaning beyond literal words.

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Communication Skills

Abilities used to interact and exchange information with others, such as turn-taking, using non-verbal cues, and adapting language for different audiences.

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Turn-Taking

The ability to take turns speaking in a conversation, which develops early in childhood. Children learn to signal the beginning and end of their utterances using non-verbal cues like eye contact.

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Motherese

A simplified form of language often used by adults when talking to young children. It involves using shorter sentences, simpler vocabulary, and a higher pitch.

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Age 4: Different Speech

By age 4, children start to use different language depending on their audience. They will communicate differently with adults than with younger children, using simpler language with the younger ones.

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Language Development Stages

Language learning occurs in a series of stages, with children acquiring new skills and abilities throughout their early years.

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Communication Skills by 5

Most communication skills that are essential for interacting with others are learned by the age of 5.

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Study Notes

Language Acquisition

  • Language use is a complex skill, allowing for a vast number of sentences.
  • Children learn language with ease and speed.
  • Numerous studies examine language development in children, some cross-sectional (different ages) and others longitudinal (following over time).

Stages of Language Acquisition

  • Pre-linguistic stage (birth-12 months):

    • Infants are highly sensitive to sounds and can distinguish between similar sounds from a very early age.
    • Vocalizations such as crying, cooing, and babbling are frequent early indicators.
    • Babbling, combining vowels and consonants (e.g., 'ba' or 'ga'), emerges around 6 months.

  • One-word stage (approximately 12 months):

    • Marked by the use of single words.
    • Early words are often approximations of adult words, sometimes used in consistent ways for specific objects or actions despite not being identical to adult forms.
    • Vocabulary expands slowly at first, but accelerates around 16-18 months.
    • Common early words often include general nouns (e.g., "bottle"), specific nouns (e.g., "Fido"), or actions (e.g., "look").

  • Development of grammar (18 months onwards):

    • Two-word sentences begin to emerge around 18 months, marking the development of grammar rules for combining words.
    • This period demonstrates a rapid expansion of grammatical complexity.
    • The mean length of utterance (MLU), measuring sentence length, increases significantly as children develop more complex grammatical structures.
    • Children initially primarily use simple sentences, but proficiency increases with time to encompass multiple aspects of language.

Meaning and Pragmatics

  • Meaning:

    • Children develop an understanding of how words refer to objects or actions through principles like reference, mutual exclusivity, and whole-object principles.
    • They learn words through context, associating them with objects and actions.

  • Pragmatics:

    • Children develop the ability to communicate through turn-taking and adjusting language based on the audience, e.g., using simpler language with young children.

Additional Notes

  • Language development is marked by stages, but transitions between stages are gradual.
  • Rates of language development vary among individuals.
  • There is evidence of both learned and innate components in language development, as the early use of words often is similar across cultures.

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Language Acquisition PDF

Description

Explore the fascinating journey of language acquisition in children. This quiz covers crucial stages, from pre-linguistic to one-word stages, highlighting key milestones and vocalization patterns. Test your understanding of how children learn language with ease and speed through various developmental stages.

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