Overview of Language Components

Study Notes

Language is a cognitive function involving human sounds, written signs, and symbols for processing and transmitting verbal information.
While language is a communication tool, not all communication qualifies as language; other species use body language, odors, and vocalizations for interaction.
Many argue that language is a defining trait that sets humans apart from other animals.

Essential components of language include lexicon (vocabulary) and grammar (rules for conveying meaning).
Phonemes are basic sound units, differing between languages, and combine to form morphemes, the smallest meaning units.
Semantics and syntax are crucial for constructing language; semantics derives meaning, while syntax organizes words into sentences.
Language allows for flexible communication of concrete and abstract concepts, facilitating a wide variety of exchanges, from daily conversations to complex ideas.

Children learn language effortlessly and quickly compared to adults, highlighting a biological predisposition for language acquisition.
Noam Chomsky criticized behaviorist views (e.g., Skinner) asserting that language development follows a universal pattern across cultures.
A critical period exists for language acquisition, making early childhood the optimal time to learn languages.
Infants can initially discriminate all phonemes but narrow this ability to those in their immediate linguistic environment by around one year.

The babbling stage occurs in early infancy, characterized by repeated single syllables, often not intended for communication.
First words typically emerge between 1-18 months, with children initially using one-word utterances that carry significant meaning.
As vocabulary expands, children begin forming simple sentences and exhibit an understanding of grammatical rules, evidenced by overgeneralizations.

Meaningful language correlates with culture; the words we use shape our thoughts.
Sapir and Whorf proposed that language determines thought, suggesting limitations in conceptualizing ideas based on linguistic frameworks.
Linguistic determinism posits that language both reflects and restricts mental processes and cross-cultural understanding.
Research indicates that while language influences perception, cognitive abilities remain intact across different linguistic backgrounds.

Successful conversation relies on common ground between speaker and listener, facilitating understanding and continuity.
Audience design affects communication; speakers adjust references based on the listener's familiarity with the subject.
Conversational exchange requires alignment and coordination, with participants often mirroring linguistic phrases and speech patterns.

Language is a system of symbols used for communication, while speech is an individual's manifestation of that language.
External speech includes oral and written forms, with oral speech characterized as monologue or dialogue.
Written speech relies on grammatical structure without immediate feedback from listeners; internal speech helps with personal thought formulation.

Psycholinguistics studies the relationship between language, cognition, and communication processes.
Language processing encompasses reading, writing, speaking, and listening, illuminating how we translate words into meaning.
Language acquisition explores how children learn language structures and vocabulary shaped by their environment and social context.
Special circumstances in language development consider the impact of disabilities or neurological factors on language capabilities.
The study of brain correlates addresses language's evolutionary background and differentiates human communication abilities from non-human animals.