Language Acquisition Puzzle in Linguistics

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Questions and Answers

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?

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?

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?

Formal instruction in grammar rules Signup and view all the answers

What is a core challenge in understanding language acquisition in children?

Children's language ability surpasses the language they are exposed to. Signup and view all the answers

What critical element do children need for language acquisition?

Language exposure or input Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes the learning process of language for children?

They learn quickly and easily without structured guidance. Signup and view all the answers

What continues to challenge linguists in the study of language acquisition?

Deciphering how children bridge the gap between language input and their use of language. Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by linguistic competence?

The knowledge base that allows for the construction of well-formed sentences. Signup and view all the answers

What does the architecture of the computational unit imply about language?

It enables the creation of hierarchical structures. Signup and view all the answers

How can language performance be influenced?

By the individual's emotional state during communication. Signup and view all the answers

What does the UG hypothesis suggest about children's linguistic ability?

Children are born with the procedures to create well-formed linguistic units. Signup and view all the answers

According to the competence versus performance distinction, which statement is true?

Performance can vary based on situational factors. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main focus of the structure-dependent hypothesis?

It prioritizes hierarchical structure over linear order. Signup and view all the answers

Which auxiliary verb should be moved to the front of the sentence in example 5a?

The main auxiliary verb of the main sentence. Signup and view all the answers

Why might children not express linguistic competence perfectly?

Performance can be influenced by multiple external factors. Signup and view all the answers

What does the first auxiliary verb in sentence 5a belong to?

The subject of the sentence. Signup and view all the answers

Who is associated with establishing the competence versus performance distinction?

Noam Chomsky Signup and view all the answers

What type of errors have not been described in the literature concerning children and question formation?

Errors where the wrong auxiliary is fronted. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'performance' refer to in the context of language?

The practical application of language knowledge. Signup and view all the answers

Why is Hypothesis 1 considered inadequate for certain sentences?

It does not account for positional relevance of auxiliaries. Signup and view all the answers

What example is cited as a case where students may struggle with auxiliary movement?

Is the man who is in trouble now in custody? Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary reason to state hypotheses in terms of structural dependence?

To explain children's common mistakes accurately. Signup and view all the answers

Which hypothesis serves as a solution to the quandary presented with sentences 4 and 5?

Structure Dependent Hypothesis. Signup and view all the answers

What is the basic word order of English?

Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following word orders is found to be exceedingly rare in languages?

Object-Verb-Subject (OVS) Signup and view all the answers

According to the Principles and Parameters framework, what accounts for the rarity of certain word orders?

The existence of a universal principle that subjects must precede objects Signup and view all the answers

What are the two parameters identified in relation to word order?

Subjects may precede VPs; Objects may precede or follow verbs Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following languages prefers the SOV word order?

Japanese Signup and view all the answers

What does UG stand for in the context of language structure?

Universal Grammar Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes SVO, SOV, and VSO from OVS, VOS, and OSV in the context of language typology?

They are the primary arrangements in the majority of languages Signup and view all the answers

Why was the OVS order long thought to be unattested in human languages?

Linguists lacked sufficient evidence to support its existence Signup and view all the answers

What is the main conclusion of Saffran et al.'s experiment regarding 8-month-olds?

They could identify plausible word units based on high transitional probabilities. Signup and view all the answers

In Marcus et al.'s experiment, what was unique about the syllables presented during testing?

They were entirely new and had zero transitional probabilities. Signup and view all the answers

What patterns were used in Marcus et al.'s training phase?

ABA and ABB patterns. Signup and view all the answers

What does the extended ability to track statistical patterns suggest about children?

They can track abstract symbolic structures over time. Signup and view all the answers

What was measured to assess infants' reactions to syllable sequences in Saffran et al.'s study?

Visual fixation time. Signup and view all the answers

After being exposed to new syllable sequences, what did infants show by listening longer to mismatched patterns?

They recognized the familiar patterns. Signup and view all the answers

What was indicated by the infants' responses to the unfamiliar patterns in Marcus et al.'s experiment?

They could discern between familiar and unfamiliar patterns. Signup and view all the answers

Which age group showed the ability to establish an abstract representation of patterns based on minimal exposure?

7-month-olds. Signup and view all the answers

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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Description

Explore the logical problem of language acquisition through the lens of children's learning processes. This quiz delves into how children acquire language universally and rapidly, despite the challenges posed by input and structure-dependent rules. Test your understanding of these concepts and their implications in modern linguistic theory.