15 Questions
What are the three recursive mechanisms that allow sentences to go indeterminately in human language capacity?
Relativization, complementation and coordination
Which principle guides first-language acquisition, according to the text?
Speech perception always precedes speech production
What are the five tools that one must acquire to use language successfully, according to the text?
Phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and an extensive vocabulary
Which design feature of human language is missing from forms of animal communication?
Arbitrariness
Which theory of language acquisition did Noam Chomsky strongly criticize in 1959?
Skinner's behaviorist idea
What is the typical pattern that children follow when learning a new word according to the text?
They use the word correctly at first, make errors later on, and eventually return to the proper use of the word
What approach to language acquisition did Chomsky argue for instead of behavioral conditioning?
A mathematical approach based on a study of syntax
What is the fundamental difference between animals and humans in their motivation to learn language?
Animals are motivated by physical reward, while humans learn language to create a new type of communication
What was the result of the study on Victor of Aveyron's language acquisition?
Victor was able to learn a few words, but never fully acquired language
What did researchers conclude about Genie's language acquisition?
Genie was too old to learn how to speak productively, although she was still able to comprehend language
What is the major debate in understanding language acquisition according to nativists such as Chomsky?
How infants pick up language from the linguistic input
What is the difference between language acquisition and second-language acquisition?
Language acquisition refers to infants' acquisition of their native language, while second-language acquisition deals with the acquisition of additional languages.
What is the difference between bilingual first language acquisition and first-language acquisition?
Bilingual first language acquisition refers to an infant's simultaneous acquisition of two native languages, while first-language acquisition studies infants' acquisition of their native language.
What did philosophers in ancient societies believe about language acquisition?
They regarded language acquisition as a subset of man's ability to acquire knowledge and learn concepts.
What did B.F. Skinner suggest in his book Verbal Behavior?
That the successful use of a sign, such as a word or lexical unit, given a certain stimulus, reinforces its 'momentary' or contextual probability.
Study Notes
Language Capacity and Acquisition
- Human language capacity allows sentences to go indeterminately through three recursive mechanisms:
- The principle guiding first-language acquisition is not explicitly stated in the text, but it implies that humans have an innate ability to acquire language.
Language Acquisition Tools
- To use language successfully, one must acquire five tools:
Design Features of Human Language
- A key design feature of human language missing from animal communication is the ability to generate an infinite number of sentences from a finite set of words.
Theories of Language Acquisition
- In 1959, Noam Chomsky strongly criticized the theory of behavioral conditioning.
- Chomsky argued for an innate, modular approach to language acquisition, instead of behavioral conditioning.
Language Acquisition Patterns
- Children typically follow a pattern of overextension and then correction when learning a new word.
Animal vs. Human Language Acquisition
- The fundamental difference between animals and humans in their motivation to learn language is that humans have an innate desire to communicate, whereas animals are primarily motivated by external stimuli.
Case Studies in Language Acquisition
- The study on Victor of Aveyron's language acquisition resulted in the conclusion that language acquisition is critical at a young age, and that it is difficult to acquire language after a certain age.
- Researchers concluded that Genie's language acquisition was severely hindered due to her lack of exposure to language during critical periods of her development.
Debates in Language Acquisition
- The major debate in understanding language acquisition, according to nativists like Chomsky, is the role of nature (innate abilities) vs. nurture (environmental factors) in language acquisition.
Types of Language Acquisition
- Language acquisition refers to the process of acquiring a first language, whereas second-language acquisition refers to the process of acquiring an additional language.
- Bilingual first language acquisition refers to the simultaneous acquisition of two languages from birth, whereas first-language acquisition refers to the acquisition of a single language.
Historical Views on Language Acquisition
- Philosophers in ancient societies believed that language acquisition was a process of imitation and habit formation.
- B.F. Skinner suggested in his book Verbal Behavior that language acquisition is a product of environmental conditioning and reinforcement.
Test your knowledge of language development theories with this quiz! Learn about empiricist theories and the role of reinforcement in language acquisition. Challenge yourself to understand the successful use of signs and how it impacts language learning in children.
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