Language Unit 11
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Questions and Answers

What does the Whorfian hypothesis suggest about language and thought?

  • Language influences thought indirectly. (correct)
  • Different languages have no impact on memory.
  • Language shapes thought in a rigid way. (correct)
  • Language does not influence thought.

Bilingual children have larger vocabularies than monolingual children at early ages.

False (B)

Describe one benefit of being raised in a bilingual environment.

Better executive control.

The Whorfian hypothesis is often criticized for being too ______.

<p>deterministic</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the following terms with their descriptions:

<p>Linguistic relativity = The idea that language shapes thought Bilingualism = Being fluent in two languages Whorfian hypothesis = Language is a determinant of thought Executive control = Ability to manage cognitive tasks effectively</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is primarily impaired in Broca’s Aphasia?

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

All languages utilize the same sounds and rules for their organization.

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

What is the smallest unit of sound in language called?

<p>Phoneme</p> Signup and view all the answers

The area of the brain associated with understanding language is called _____ area.

<p>Wernicke's</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the following language aspects with their definitions:

<p>Language production = Translating thought into sounds Language comprehension = Translating sounds into meaning Phoneme = Smallest unit of sound Morpheme = Smallest unit of meaning</p> Signup and view all the answers

At what age are children sensitive to the statistical regularities in the language they hear?

<p>8 months (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Once humans reach adulthood, they can easily distinguish phonemes of any language.

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

What happens to phonemic sensitivity as we grow older?

<p>We become less sensitive and can only recognize phonemes of our own language.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What term describes the capacity to create an endless series of new combinations from a set of basic units in language?

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

A word is the smallest free form unit that can stand alone.

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

What is meant by 'prosody' in speech?

<p>The melody and timing of speech, including pitch and speed.</p> Signup and view all the answers

The rules that govern how language should be used are known as __________ rules.

<p>prescriptive</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements describes a 'bad' English sentence?

<p>She has a dress red. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Descriptive rules explain how language should be used, while prescriptive rules describe how it is used.

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

Give an example of how an old word can take on a new meaning.

<p>Bad can mean good or bad.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is speech segmentation?

<p>The process of slicing the speech stream into individual words and phonemes (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Coarticulation only occurs within a single word and not at word boundaries.

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

What is categorical perception?

<p>Categorization of phonemes showing abrupt boundaries.</p> Signup and view all the answers

The __________ effect allows us to fill in missing phonemes based on context.

<p>phonemic restoration</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the following researchers with their experiments:

<p>Warren &amp; Warren = Phonemic restoration effect Pollack and Picket = Word context identification ZAPS = Semantic priming in lexical decision Top-down processing = Filling in missing information</p> Signup and view all the answers

What do we often rely on to understand language better?

<p>Top-down processing using prior knowledge (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Individuals can better identify words when they are presented in isolation rather than in a sentence context.

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

Flashcards

What is a morpheme?

The smallest unit of meaning in a language. Morphemes can be individual words, prefixes, suffixes, or even individual sounds.

What is a phoneme?

The smallest unit of sound in a language. Phonemes are the building blocks of words, and different languages have different sets of phonemes.

What is universal phonemic sensitivity?

The ability to perceive all the sounds of human speech, which is present in infants but diminishes as we learn our native language.

What is language production?

The process of translating thoughts into sounds, which is essential for communication.

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What is language comprehension?

The process of translating sounds into meaning, which enables us to understand what others are saying.

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What is Broca's aphasia?

A neurological condition affecting language production, often resulting in difficulty speaking fluently and forming grammatically correct sentences. Broca's area is located in the left frontal lobe.

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What is Wernicke's aphasia?

A neurological condition affecting language comprehension, often resulting in difficulty understanding spoken language and producing meaningful sentences. Wernicke's area is located in the left temporal-parietal region.

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How do infants demonstrate sensitivity to language patterns?

The ability of young infants to detect patterns in language they are exposed to, even before they learn to speak. This demonstrates that humans are biologically wired for language acquisition.

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Word

The smallest meaningful unit in language, like a word, that can stand alone and convey information.

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Generativity in Language

The ability to create a limitless number of new combinations of words and meanings using existing units (morphemes).

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Evolution of Word Meanings

The ability for words to acquire new meanings over time, sometimes entirely different from their initial meaning.

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Sentence

A sequence of words that expresses a complete thought or idea.

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Phrase

A group of words that functions as a single unit within a sentence.

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Syntax

The rules governing the structure of phrases and sentences in a language.

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Prosody

The melody and timing of speech, including pitch, speed, and stress, which adds meaning and emotion to spoken language.

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Speech Complexity

The challenges involved in understanding speech due to the continuous nature of sound and the overlapping of sounds.

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Coarticulation

The blending of sounds within and between words, like the 's' in 'soup' getting a different pronunciation depending on the next sound.

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Categorical Perception

The ability to categorize speech sounds into distinct categories, despite slight variations in how they are produced.

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Top-Down Processing

Using background knowledge and context to understand speech, even when some information is missing.

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Phonemic Restoration Effect

Our brains 'fill in the blanks' when we hear speech, even if some sounds are missing or distorted.

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Sentence Superiority Effect

Understanding words better in a sentence than in isolation.

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Semantic Priming

A test that measures how quickly people can identify words, influenced by the relatedness of words presented.

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Linguistic Relativity

The study of how language affects cognitive processes, like memory or attention.

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Speech Segmentation

The process of dividing a stream of speech into individual words and sounds.

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Language and Color Perception

The idea that language influences how we perceive and categorize colors. For example, cultures with more color terms may be better at distinguishing between those colors.

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Language and Event Description

The idea that language influences how we describe and remember events. For example, using active voice might make us more likely to remember the agent of an event.

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Bilingualism

A person who speaks two or more languages fluently.

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Bilingualism and Executive Control

Being raised bilingually may improve executive control skills, such as task-switching and avoiding distractions.

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Study Notes

Language Unit 11

  • Language is a complex system that is hierarchically organized
  • Language is composed of smaller units that build up to larger units
  • Phonemes are the smallest units of sound
  • Morphemes are the smallest units of meaning
  • Words are the smallest free-form units that can stand alone
  • Sentences are sequences of words that express meaning
  • Syntax governs the structure of phrases and sentences
  • Language is continuously evolving, with new words and meanings constantly emerging
  • Language use impacts cognitive processes, such as perception, memory, and categorization
  • Bilingualism—learning two or more languages—has associated affects and may lead to better executive control
  • The "Whorfian hypothesis" suggests language shapes thought, although this is considered too extreme
  • Children exhibit a sensitivity to statistical regularities in language at a very young age
  • Language processing involves the integration of sounds into meaning through processes like segmentation and co-articulation
  • Categorical perception and top-down processing are aids to speech perception that allow for filling in of missing information
  • There is a phonemic restoration effect in the brain which allows the brain to fill in missing information relating to the phonemes/sounds that are expected
  • Language is like a living organism that evolves and is comprised of other sublevels

Language Organisation

  • Language is hierarchically organized
  • This means that each level of language is composed of lower levels.
  • Each level comprises simpler units that build up to the next level
  • Levels of organization include sentences down to the final elements, phonemes

Types of Language Errors

  • Broca's Aphasia causes problems with language production, involving a region in the left frontal lobe
  • Wernicke's Aphasia involves issues with language comprehension and is located in the left temporal/parietal region

Speech Complexity

  • Speech is remarkably complex but speakers are incredibly good at perceiving it
  • Segmentation: the brain separates sounds into distinct parts in order to interpret meaning
  • Co-articulation: the blending of phonemes within a word (e.g. saying "talk" where the 't' sound overlaps with the 'a')
  • This is due to the 'cursive nature' of speech

Overcoming Speech Complexity

  • Speech segmentation is the process of slicing a stream of speech into its distinct parts
  • Top-down processing: using prior knowledge to predict and fill in missing information in speech
  • Categorical perception involves categorizing sounds into discrete categories rather than perceiving a continuum of speech sounds

Aids to Speech Perception

  • Phonemic restoration effect: The brain automatically fills in missing sounds to help with perception, especially when that sound is expected, even when the sound is just noise

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Language Unit 11 PDF

Description

Explore the intricate structure of language in this quiz. Learn about phonemes, morphemes, and how sentences convey meaning. Delve into theories such as bilingualism and the Whorfian hypothesis that link language to cognitive processes.

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