Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the term used to describe the gap between what children hear and their language abilities?
What is the term used to describe the gap between what children hear and their language abilities?
- Logical Problem of Language Acquisition (correct)
- Language Input Gap
- Linguistic Threshold
- Cognitive Dissonance
Which statement best explains children's predisposition to learn language?
Which statement best explains children's predisposition to learn language?
- Children do not need any exposure to language to learn it.
- Children's brains are rigid and cannot adapt to linguistic structures.
- Children are naturally predisposed to recognize hierarchical structures in sentences. (correct)
- Children learn language solely through mimicking adults.
At what age do children typically demonstrate significant language acquisition?
At what age do children typically demonstrate significant language acquisition?
- By 12 months
- By age 5
- By age 3
- By kindergarten (correct)
Which of the following factors does NOT significantly contribute to children's language acquisition?
Which of the following factors does NOT significantly contribute to children's language acquisition?
What is a core challenge in understanding language acquisition in children?
What is a core challenge in understanding language acquisition in children?
What critical element do children need for language acquisition?
What critical element do children need for language acquisition?
What characterizes the learning process of language for children?
What characterizes the learning process of language for children?
What continues to challenge linguists in the study of language acquisition?
What continues to challenge linguists in the study of language acquisition?
What is meant by linguistic competence?
What is meant by linguistic competence?
What does the architecture of the computational unit imply about language?
What does the architecture of the computational unit imply about language?
How can language performance be influenced?
How can language performance be influenced?
What does the UG hypothesis suggest about children's linguistic ability?
What does the UG hypothesis suggest about children's linguistic ability?
According to the competence versus performance distinction, which statement is true?
According to the competence versus performance distinction, which statement is true?
What is the main focus of the structure-dependent hypothesis?
What is the main focus of the structure-dependent hypothesis?
Which auxiliary verb should be moved to the front of the sentence in example 5a?
Which auxiliary verb should be moved to the front of the sentence in example 5a?
Why might children not express linguistic competence perfectly?
Why might children not express linguistic competence perfectly?
What does the first auxiliary verb in sentence 5a belong to?
What does the first auxiliary verb in sentence 5a belong to?
Who is associated with establishing the competence versus performance distinction?
Who is associated with establishing the competence versus performance distinction?
What type of errors have not been described in the literature concerning children and question formation?
What type of errors have not been described in the literature concerning children and question formation?
What does the term 'performance' refer to in the context of language?
What does the term 'performance' refer to in the context of language?
Why is Hypothesis 1 considered inadequate for certain sentences?
Why is Hypothesis 1 considered inadequate for certain sentences?
What example is cited as a case where students may struggle with auxiliary movement?
What example is cited as a case where students may struggle with auxiliary movement?
What is a primary reason to state hypotheses in terms of structural dependence?
What is a primary reason to state hypotheses in terms of structural dependence?
Which hypothesis serves as a solution to the quandary presented with sentences 4 and 5?
Which hypothesis serves as a solution to the quandary presented with sentences 4 and 5?
What is the basic word order of English?
What is the basic word order of English?
Which of the following word orders is found to be exceedingly rare in languages?
Which of the following word orders is found to be exceedingly rare in languages?
According to the Principles and Parameters framework, what accounts for the rarity of certain word orders?
According to the Principles and Parameters framework, what accounts for the rarity of certain word orders?
What are the two parameters identified in relation to word order?
What are the two parameters identified in relation to word order?
Which of the following languages prefers the SOV word order?
Which of the following languages prefers the SOV word order?
What does UG stand for in the context of language structure?
What does UG stand for in the context of language structure?
What distinguishes SVO, SOV, and VSO from OVS, VOS, and OSV in the context of language typology?
What distinguishes SVO, SOV, and VSO from OVS, VOS, and OSV in the context of language typology?
Why was the OVS order long thought to be unattested in human languages?
Why was the OVS order long thought to be unattested in human languages?
What is the main conclusion of Saffran et al.'s experiment regarding 8-month-olds?
What is the main conclusion of Saffran et al.'s experiment regarding 8-month-olds?
In Marcus et al.'s experiment, what was unique about the syllables presented during testing?
In Marcus et al.'s experiment, what was unique about the syllables presented during testing?
What patterns were used in Marcus et al.'s training phase?
What patterns were used in Marcus et al.'s training phase?
What does the extended ability to track statistical patterns suggest about children?
What does the extended ability to track statistical patterns suggest about children?
What was measured to assess infants' reactions to syllable sequences in Saffran et al.'s study?
What was measured to assess infants' reactions to syllable sequences in Saffran et al.'s study?
After being exposed to new syllable sequences, what did infants show by listening longer to mismatched patterns?
After being exposed to new syllable sequences, what did infants show by listening longer to mismatched patterns?
What was indicated by the infants' responses to the unfamiliar patterns in Marcus et al.'s experiment?
What was indicated by the infants' responses to the unfamiliar patterns in Marcus et al.'s experiment?
Which age group showed the ability to establish an abstract representation of patterns based on minimal exposure?
Which age group showed the ability to establish an abstract representation of patterns based on minimal exposure?
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Study Notes
The Logical Problem of Language Acquisition (LPLA)
- The way children learn language differs significantly from the kind of language they hear.
- There is a gap between what children experience and their ability to use language effectively.
- Children acquire language universally, rapidly, easily, and relatively uniformly.
- This learning occurs without direct correction or instruction, despite ambiguous and sometimes misleading information.
- The LPLA is a key puzzle in linguistics, influencing modern linguistic theory.
Language Acquisition: Input and Structure-Dependent Rules
- Children need exposure to language (input) for language acquisition.
- Language acquisition involves understanding hierarchical structure in syntax, not just linear order.
- The "Structure Dependent Hypothesis" states that rules apply to the hierarchical structure of sentences, not just linear order.
- This hypothesis explains how children correctly form yes-no questions, considering the structure of the sentence rather than just word order.
Universal Grammar (UG) and the Computational Unit
- The UG hypothesis proposes that children are born with a "computational unit" responsible for language.
- This computational unit is designed to process and generate hierarchical structures, not linear order.
- The computational unit is not influenced by environmental factors like linear order.
- The properties of this unit determine the specific characteristics of human language.
- The computational unit is fully formed at birth, but children don't speak perfectly right away due to other factors.
Competence vs. Performance
- Linguistic competence refers to an idealized state of one’s linguistic potential, representing their knowledge base.
- Language performance, however, is affected by external factors such as fatigue, cognitive load, and context.
Principles and Parameters
- Universal Grammar (UG) includes invariant principles that hold true across all languages.
- These principles, like structure dependence, represent innate biases in language acquisition.
- Some principles may have parameters, which vary across languages.
- This framework explains why certain language structures are prevalent while others are exceptionally rare.
Statistical Tracking: Transitional Probabilities and Structural Patterns
- Infants can track statistical patterns in language input, identifying word boundaries based on transitional probabilities between syllables.
- Even at 7 months, infants can learn abstract patterns like ABA and ABB, even when presented with entirely new syllables.
- This ability to track statistical patterns is not limited to simple syllable sequences but extends to learning complex structures.
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