Linguistic Theories and Language Acquisition

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Questions and Answers

What are the three most common patterns of word order in languages, according to Greenberg?

VSO, SVO, SOV (correct)

SVO, VOS, OSV

SOV, VSO, VOS

OSV, OVS, VSO

Which term describes the study of meaning in language, particularly related to cultural phenomena?

Phonetics

Syntax

Ethnosemantics (correct)

Semantics

According to Locke's theory, how do infants learn language?

By mimicking animal sounds initially

By associating words with actions only

Through innate understanding of language rules

Through habit formation and experiences (correct)

In which kinship terminology system does a single term classify a father and all male relatives?

Hawaiian kinship Signup and view all the answers

What belief did Augustine have regarding language acquisition in infants?

Associating words with objects occurs through parental guidance Signup and view all the answers

What is the main principle of Skinner's view on language acquisition in infants?

Language is acquired through conditioned responses and environmental feedback. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following concepts is associated with Noam Chomsky's theory of language acquisition?

Humans are prewired with universal grammar. Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of the critical period in language acquisition?

If language exposure doesn't occur, acquisition becomes impossible. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes a creole language from a pidgin language?

Creole languages have a more complex grammatical structure than pidgins. Signup and view all the answers

What implication does Chomsky's theory have on the behaviorist perspective of language learning?

It argues that behaviorist views are overly simplistic for explaining language acquisition. Signup and view all the answers

What was Tylor's view on the evolution of societies?

Societies evolve in a single direction toward complexity. Signup and view all the answers

What terms did Tylor use to classify cultural elements from different societies?

Savagery, barbarism, and civilization. Signup and view all the answers

What was one key distinction made by Henry Morgan regarding societal development?

Civilized societies are characterized by private property. Signup and view all the answers

How did diffusionism explain societal change?

Societal change is a result of societies borrowing cultural traits from each other. Signup and view all the answers

What was a belief held by British diffusionists about the origin of civilizations?

All aspects of civilizations originated in ancient Egypt. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a limitation of diffusionism?

It proposes that all cultural traits inevitably spread between neighboring societies. Signup and view all the answers

What criticism was leveled against Tylor’s views on unilineal evolution?

They were too speculative and based on biased accounts. Signup and view all the answers

What concept did the German version of diffusionism introduce?

Several centers of civilization existed which influenced others. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement reflects a common misconception held by diffusionists about non-Western peoples?

They view non-Western cultures as having inherent weaknesses. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect did both Tylor and Morgan emphasize in their theories?

The idea of a hierarchical development among societies. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of cultural patrimony?

Determining rightful ownership of artifacts and human remains Signup and view all the answers

What does NAGPRA stand for, and what is its purpose?

Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, ensuring protection and repatriation of graves and artifacts Signup and view all the answers

Which statement reflects ethical relativism?

Values and moralities of one society cannot be imposed on another. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of case studies like land-swap programs in Guatemala?

They illustrate successful integration of preservation with community needs. Signup and view all the answers

International campaigns, such as UNESCO’s preservation of Abu Simbel, primarily aim to:

Facilitate global efforts in cultural heritage preservation. Signup and view all the answers

Social impact studies address what aspect of community change?

The potential consequences and reactions of the community to change. Signup and view all the answers

How do anthropologists contribute to ethical archaeological practices?

By facilitating community-led projects that address local needs. Signup and view all the answers

What do the Athabaskan languages primarily comprise?

A subset of the Na-Dene family, including Navajo and Apache. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary cultural value that shapes the worldview of the Piraha people according to Daniel Everett?

Immediacy of experience Signup and view all the answers

How long had Basso been studying the Apache community before publishing his findings?

30 years Signup and view all the answers

What distinction is made regarding the survival of American Indigenous languages?

Some languages, like Quechua and Aymara, are doing just fine. Signup and view all the answers

What was a key factor in Daniel Everett's inability to convert Piraha people to Christianity?

Their cultural emphasis on immediacy of experience. Signup and view all the answers

What is a criticism levied against Everett by socio-cultural anthropologists?

He must consider the history of the Piraha people. Signup and view all the answers

Which language family do the Piraha belong to?

Mura Signup and view all the answers

What role does Janet Chernela hold in the professional community?

Chair of the Committee for Human Rights of the AAA Signup and view all the answers

What significant concept does the Piraha's cultural emphasis challenge in linguistic theory?

Recursion in language structure Signup and view all the answers

What personality type did Ruth Benedict associate with Pueblo societies?

Apollonian Signup and view all the answers

According to Margaret Mead, what was a notable aspect of adolescent development in American Samoa?

Adolescents experienced openly conducted premarital sex. Signup and view all the answers

What criticism was directed towards the culture-and-personality school?

It oversimplified cultural behaviors into one dominant personality. Signup and view all the answers

What concept did Sigmund Freud introduce to explain the structure of personality?

Id, ego, and superego Signup and view all the answers

Claude Levi-Strauss is known for founding which anthropological concept?

Structuralism Signup and view all the answers

Which term describes the process by which existing knowledge is adjusted to fit new information according to Jean Piaget?

Assimilation Signup and view all the answers

How did Lev Vygotsky view the development of thought and reasoning?

It is a continuous process influenced by social and linguistic contexts. Signup and view all the answers

Brent Berlin and Paul Kay's research on color-naming practices found what about indigenous societies?

They varied dramatically in the number of basic color terms. Signup and view all the answers

According to cognitive anthropology, human minds organize information in what manner?

Through intuitive models and schemas. Signup and view all the answers

What is a distinguishing feature of prototypes in human cognition?

They help simplify and comprehend complex realities. Signup and view all the answers

What term refers to the internalized values and norms that create an individual's conscience, according to Freud?

Superego Signup and view all the answers

In the context of color perception, what universal pattern did studies reveal?

Humans share a psychological basis of color vision. Signup and view all the answers

What did Freeman challenge about Margaret Mead's findings?

The absence of significant emotional ties. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Introduction

Psychological anthropology is a subfield that focuses on understanding the interplay between cultural influences and mental processes, aiming to elucidate how cultural contexts shape individual psychology.
Anthropologists engage in rigorous fieldwork, observing various communities and the complex enculturation processes that individuals undergo from childhood through adulthood. This encompasses the transmission of cultural norms, values, and practices that shape behavioral patterns.
Research findings in this field are pivotal for conducting cross-cultural studies, which aim to identify how various societies exhibit both unique and shared traits in behavior, cognitive processes, and emotional responses, ultimately contributing to a broader understanding of human diversity.
Cognitive anthropology delves deeper into the subtleties of cognition by examining how cultural meanings influence thought processes. It utilizes various research methodologies—ranging from ethnographic studies to psychological experiments—to uncover the often unconscious factors that drive human thought and decision-making.
This field also investigates the intricate ways in which personality characteristics and behavioral tendencies develop in a cultural context, highlighting the influence of socialization practices, cultural narratives, and environmental factors on individual psychology.
nced by enculturation.

Fundamental Concepts

"Human nature" is a fundamental concept; neither entirely biological nor cultural.
A biocultural or interactionist perspective is used to explain human behaviour, taking into account the combined influence of biology and culture.
The relationship between biological and learned factors should be considered in any behaviour.

Traditional Views and Instincts

Traditional views often consider humans as "animal-like".
Differentiating humans from minerals and plants scientifically is important.
Other hand, humans are sometimes placed in an animal category, derogatorily.
Instincts, genetically based innate behaviors, help humans take advantage of environmental conditions.
Examples include bird migration for winter survival and nest-building behaviours.

Personality

Personality is a relatively stable pattern of thoughts, feelings, and actions associated with a specific person.
Includes cognitive, emotional, and behavioural components.
Race and biological factors significantly impact human behaviour.
Some cultures display specific dominant personality types, according to culture-and-personality theory (Benedict).
Plains societies are often described as Dionysian, while Pueblo societies are viewed as Apollonian.

Thought Processes

Claude Levi-Strauss founded structuralism, focusing on the universally applicable processes of thought, potentially overlapping with psychological anthropology.
Humans classify the natural and social world into polar types (binary oppositions).
Jean Piaget studied the way in which children think, perceive, and learn, identifying four major stages of cognitive development: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational.
Individuals organize knowledge and perceive reality differently over time.

Humans and Culture

Human minds organize and structure the natural and social worlds differently.
Brent Berlin and Paul Kay studied color-naming practices to identify differences in color perception across societies.
Anna Wierzbicka and others studied whether color perception is universal or culturally constructed.
- Some societies have extensive color vocabularies, yet others have fewer.
Human minds organize and structure the natural and social world in distinctive ways, using schemas and networks to guide their perceptions, behaviour and action.

Evolutionary Psychology

Evolutionary psychology emphasizes the interactions of nature and nurture in shaping human understanding and behaviour.
It assumes that human minds are designed by evolution to handle immediate challenges.
Evolutionary psychologists focus on the commonalities and similarities in behaviour across cultures.

Emotional Concepts

Catherine Lutz described how emotions are culturally conceptualized.
Many groups express emotions not readily translated into other languages or cultures.
Human emotional expressions are shaped by specific cultural practices.

Language and Culture

Language is a system of symbols with standard meanings, a tool for communication.
Linguistic studies explore how different languages structure different perceptions of the world.
Sapir-Whorf hypothesis suggests a close relationship between language and culture.
Language frameworks may define realities for speakers of a specific language.
Historical linguistics studies language development, investigating changes across time.

Anthropological Approaches

Unilineal evolution suggested that societies evolved in one direction toward complexity.
Diffusionism proposed that societal change comes from borrowing traits from other cultures.
Historical particularism viewed each society as a product of its own history, emphasizing cultural relativism.
Functionalism examined the functions of social institutions in a society.
Neoevolutionism emphasized the role of energy in cultural evolution.
Cultural materialism emphasized the role of technology and environment as drivers of cultural evolution.
Cultural ecology focused on the relationship between society and the environment.

Modern Anthropology

Current neo-Marxist anthropologists criticize unilineal models of evolution and highlight conflict as an inherent aspect of human existence
Symbolic anthropology studies the interpretations of symbols in a society.
Feminist approaches challenge traditional perspectives, often highlighting gender roles.
Postmodernism critiques traditional anthropological assumptions about objectivity.
Postmodern anthropologists emphasize the importance of context.

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Description

This quiz explores various theories of language acquisition, focusing on contributions from thinkers such as Greenberg, Locke, Skinner, and Chomsky. It covers topics such as word order patterns, the critical period in language learning, and concepts related to cultural phenomena. Test your understanding of language development and its implications on societal evolution.