Language Development in Childhood

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Questions and Answers

What is primarily observed during the first 50 words of a child's vocabulary development?

Equal representation of all word types

Dominance of object words (correct)

Dominance of action words

Focus on state/modifier words

Which term describes the ability to quickly associate new words with their meanings in early vocabulary development?

Sentence formation

Grammatical morphemes

Referential style

Fast-mapping (correct)

What is the typical vocabulary range for a child in Grade 2?

20,000 words (correct)

5,000 words

10,000 words

15,000 words

Which of the following best describes the phenomenon of 'overregularisation' in language development?

Applying regular grammar rules to irregular verbs Signup and view all the answers

During which stage of language development does telegraphic speech typically emerge?

18-24 months Signup and view all the answers

What linguistic feature does the example 'the car was stolen by Bob' demonstrate?

Passive voice Signup and view all the answers

What term is used to describe the difference between referential and expressive styles in early language development?

Individual differences Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a created word through compounding in language development?

Car-man for a mechanic Signup and view all the answers

Which component of language primarily deals with the sounds in speech?

Phonology Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'morphological markers' in morphology refer to?

The grammatical changes that indicate tense, number, or gender Signup and view all the answers

In which theory of language development is the 'Language Acquisition Device' proposed?

Nativist approach Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes analytic languages?

They rely heavily on a strict word order and have minimal morphological markers. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of language does pragmatics deal with?

The rules governing effective communication and social context Signup and view all the answers

What criticism is commonly directed at the behaviourist approach to language development?

It fails to explain the rapid vocabulary development in early childhood. Signup and view all the answers

How does semantics contribute to language development?

By expressing concepts through words Signup and view all the answers

Which process is associated with the behaviourist theory of language acquisition?

Operant conditioning and reinforcement Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary argument of the Poverty of Stimulus as proposed by Chomsky?

Humans are equipped with innate grammatical knowledge. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following supports the nativist view of language development?

Deaf children inventing languages. Signup and view all the answers

What limitation of the nativist view remains unresolved?

Difficulty in specifying universal grammar. Signup and view all the answers

During which stage of language development do children typically begin to combine two words?

18-24 months Signup and view all the answers

What factor is crucial for semantic development in children?

Understanding coming before production. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately reflects the interactionist perspective of language development?

Language results from a combination of innate abilities and environmental stimuli. Signup and view all the answers

What significant change occurs in vocabulary during early childhood?

Vocab increases to approximately 40,000 words by age 11. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of phonological development is typically seen by the age of 5?

Vowel length adjustments. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Learning Objectives

Students should demonstrate a basic understanding of language development in childhood.
Students should demonstrate a basic understanding of relevant theoretical views.

Content Covered

Components of Language: Phonology, semantics, grammar, and morphology.
Main Theories of Language Development: Behaviourist and Nativist approaches.
Stages of Spoken Language Acquisition: From prenatal to middle childhood.

What Do We Mean By Language?

Language is the system of human communication, either spoken or written.
It involves the conventional use of words in a structured manner.
It's the communication method used by a specific community or country.

Components of Language

Phonology defines the sounds of language (e.g. /f/, /b/).
Semantics explores the meaning of words and concepts.
Grammar describes the rules for sentence structure.
Syntax outlines how words are ordered in sentences (e.g., subject-verb-object).
Morphology investigates the internal structure of words and grammatical markers (e.g., "-ed" in English verbs).

Synthetic Languages

Characterized by extensive use of morphological markers.
Word order is flexible.
Examples: German, Latin.

Analytic Languages

Possess few morphological markers.
Word order is crucial for conveying meaning.
Examples: English, Chinese.

Theories of Language Development - Behaviourist Approach

Language development is acquired through operant conditioning (learning through reinforcement and punishment).
Children acquire language by observing and imitating others.

Theories of Language Development - Nativist Approach

Language acquisition is innate, driven by an inborn Language Acquisition Device (LAD).
Universal grammar accounts for common language structures across all languages.

Support for Nativist View

Deaf children develop unique languages.
Differences in animal communication systems.
Specific brain areas involved in language processing.

Limitation of Nativist View

Difficulty in specifying Universal Grammar.
Challenges in locating the LAD in the brain.

Theories of Language Development (Interactionist Approach)

Information Processing: Language is acquired through general cognitive abilities.
Language acquisition is not entirely innate nor completely environmental.

Stages of Language Development

Prenatal: Speech sounds can be heard in the womb.
Newborn: Infants exhibit sensitivity to phonemes.
Early Childhood: Rapid vocabulary growth, development of first words and grammatical structures.
Middle Childhood: Vocabulary expands significantly, further develop grammatical skills.

Phonological Development

First words are influenced by phoneme ease of articulation.
Pronunciation patterns are linked to semantic development.
Development of minimal words, adding end consonants and other sounds.

Semantic Development

Early Pre-school Years: Vocabulary spurt, fast-mapping, connecting new words to meanings.
Later Development: Continued vocabulary growth, increasing reading experiences expands word acquisition, increasing understanding of figurative language.

Grammatical Development

Acquiring Grammatical Morphemes: Understanding and utilization of grammatical markers (inflections).
Overregularization: Over-applying grammatical rules to irregular forms.
Complex Grammatical Forms: Proficiency in grammatical structures expands - such as complex sentences and passive voice.
Later Development: Increasing understanding and producing more intricate grammatical forms e.g., passive voice.

Pragmatic Development

Social Rules in Conversation: Includes turn-taking, context-appropriate language use, and implicit requests.
Pragmatic development occurs over childhood and is shaped by social interaction.
Conversational skills evolve significantly, enabling effective, nuanced communication.

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Description

This quiz covers the essential components of language including phonology, semantics, grammar, and morphology. Students will also explore major theories of language development such as the Behaviourist and Nativist approaches, as well as the stages of spoken language acquisition from prenatal to middle childhood.