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Chapter 11 Language…
Chapter 11
Language Acquisition in Children
Background concepts
:check: intricate system of abstract units, structures and rules.
:check: powerful system of communication
:star: Language development occurs in all children.
:star: The capacity to acquire language is a capacity of the human species as a whole.
How important is the environment in Language acquisition?
SKINNER
:STAR: behavior of an organism can be accounted for by theories based solely on observing its interaction with the environment.
:star: general abilities, but not with any language - specific knowledge.
CHOMSKY
:check: Language acquisition cannot be accounted for without positing a linguistically specific system of principles and parameters that every child endowed with.
:check: children need to be exposed to linguistic data in order to eventually attain adult competence. (UG) (LAD)
*Children are not taught how to produce such contructions --> imitation
Early stages
*The One-word stage: using recognizable words of their native language.
*Multiword stages: children begin to use word order to indicate certain relations.
*Babbling: the child utters sounds and sound sequences
Children develop their native language in a sequence of identifiable stages.
Is there a "language acquisition device"?
*Acquisition of Phonetic/phonological principles
:check: phonemic pattern--> infant's awareness of meaningful (phonemic) contrasts in data that infants are exposed.
CV & CVC
*Acquisiton of syntax
:check: syntatic rules of English allow us to add modifiers to nouns.
:star: associate sound and meaning for a potentially infinite set of expressions.
Yes/No questions
*C-C command and control
*Acquisition of morphology
:check: Children develop creative principles - word formation
:star: English plural
:star: compounds
*Acquistion of Pragmatic Competence
:check: A child is faced with the task of figuring out how expressions are used in a communicative context.
:star: environment plays a crucial role in acquiring communication competence.
Is there a crucial period for language acquisition?
:check: language development takes place during a very specific maturational stage of human development.
:star: The optimal period of time for language acquisition (2 years to puberty) is sometimes referred to as the critical period.
:STAR: Limitation to the acquisition of primary language around puberty is further demonstrated by the mentally retarded who can frequently make slow and modest beginnings in the acquisition of language.
