What is language?
A complex and dynamic system of conventional symbols that is used in various modes for thought and communication
language
Words that differ by only one phoneme (low and row)
minimal pairs
A system of nerves connected to the brainstem and spinal cord; includes the 12 pairs of cranial nerves that run between the brainstem and the facial and neck regions (important for speech, language, and hearing)
peripheral nervous system (PNS)
These theories are often called empiricist theories, and they rest on the notion that humans gain all knowledge through experience.
Nurture-inspired theories
Sounds of discomfort and distress and vegetative sounds; adults respond as if reflexes are true communication attempts; 0-2 mos
Reflexive
A sensory system that allows speech to enter into and be processed by the brain
hearing
At about age 2 years, children begin to use the first-appearing grammatical morphemes, including which inflection that marks a verb?
progressive -ing
The largest and most anterior lobe of the brain; in charge of activating and controlling speech, executive functions, and our ability to attribute mental states to others (theory of mind)
frontal lobe
A language theory acknowledging that language develops through the interaction between nature-related and nurture-related factors.
interactionist theory
Consonant-like and vowel-like sounds with prolonged transitions between the sounds; 3-8 mos
marginalized babbling
This is a preference for auditory rather than visual information
auditory overshadowing
A sentence modality that involves questioning; includes wh questions, and yes/no questions
interrogative sentences
Lobe(s) of the brain responsible for perceiving and integrating sensory and perceptual information, comprehending oral and written language, performing mathematical calculations
parietal lobes
A nurture inspired theory; learning is the result of operant conditioning; behaviors that are reinforced become strengthened, and behaviors that are punished become suppressed
behaviorist theory
Nonrepeating C-V combinations; 5-10 mos
variegated babbling (nonreduplicated babbling)
Three major domains of language
form, content, use
An area of development that refers to an individual’s learning and storage of the meaning of words; highly interrelated with syntactic development
semantic development
Malleability of the CNS; the ability to organize and reorganize by generating new synaptic connections or using existing synapses for alternative means
neural plasticity
Vygotsky's language theory that supports the zone of proximal development, which is the difference between a child’s actual developmental level and his/her level of potential development; Vygotsky argued that children learn language through social interactions and cognitive abilities are propelled forward
social-interactionist theory
Cooing and gooing; combine vowel-like segments with consonant-like segments; isolated consonant sounds and raspberries, trills, and clicks; 1-4 mos
Control of phonation
This allows people to represent events that are decontextualized to share what happened before this moment or that may happen in the future; allows people to represent the world to others
semanticity (or, displacement)
Temperament, and social/cultural contexts largely influence what area of development?
pragmatic language development
A frame of development during which a particular aspect of neuroanatomy or neurophysiology underlying a capacity undergoes growth or change
sensitive period
A language theory emphasizing that small achievements in one stage must occur before a child can move to the next stage; Piaget
cognitive theory
Babbling containing at least two syllables and at least two different consonants and vowels, as well as varied stress or intonation patterns
jargon