1. Language Acquisition By Alan D. DeSantis

2. Biology vs. Culture Each culture supplies its inhabitants with their own language But how and when we acquire language is universal All human brains are hardwired to learn language in the exact same way

3. The Open Language Window Think of a window opening in a child’s mind from 6 months to 8 years As language comes through the open window, there is a “program” that arranges and organizes all incoming data (talk) in the exact same way

4. Children’s Mistakes: Not Just Mimicry We use to think children learn language solely through mimicking adults But their mistakes become very predictable

5. Three Case Studies: When Our Language Window is Opened

6. Case Study Of “The Wild Boy” Victor is the name given to a boy found roaming the woods of Averyon in southern France toward the end of September 1799. He behaved like a wild animal and gave all indications that he had been raised by wild animals, eating off the floor, making canine noises, disliking baths and clothes. He also could not speak. He was taken in by a Doctor (Jean Marc Itard) who had developed a reputation for teaching the deaf to speak. After years of work, Itard failed to teach Victor more than a few words. Victor was eventually forgotten. A state pension kept him alive, like an animal in a zoo. When he died no one noticed.

7. Case Study of Genie A similar event unfolded in Los Angeles in 1970 when a 13-year-old girl was discovered who had been isolated in a baby crib –Her father had decided that she was retarded at birth, and because of this subjected her to severe isolation as well as ritual ill-treatment. –There was no radio or TV in the house due to the father's intolerance of noise –She was physically immature, had difficulty walking and could only babble like an infant Psychologists at UCLA spent years trying to teach Genie to speak. While Genie did get to the point where she could communicate, her speech never advanced beyond a 3-year old level –In other words, she could use words to the same extent as chimpanzees but could not manipulate grammar At middle age she stopped talking altogether and was soon committed to a mental institution.

8. Case Study of Vincent “Hearing” speech is not enough—children need real life people talking to them. Vincent was born to deaf parents who communicated with him by signing –He became fully competent from infancy His parents also encouraged him to watch a lot of TV thinking that he would be able to learn the spoken word By 3, however, he was still speechless –Researchers began working with him at 3 –He was seriously behind—and still feels some of the effects In short, TV is no substitute to real live people

9. What American Parents Do Characteristics of “responsible” parent talk But this is not necessary: Children don’t need it. They pick up language simple by being in an environment where language is used. The “responsible” model only functions to: –1) –2)

10. Stages of Language Acquisition

11. 1) Babbling Starts at 6 months –A. Utters various identical syllables –B. These sounds happen across all cultures –C. Children learn to make these “protowords” into meaningful utterances

12. Stages of Language Acquisition 2) One-Word Stage One year (Same time they learn to walk) –A. They utter their first right word –B. Words are overgeneralized –C. Single words are used to convey whole propositions

13. Stages of Language Acquisition 3) Two-Word Stage 20 Months A. Develop idea of Subject and Predicate B. Vocabulary is at 50 words

14. Stages of Language Acquisition 4) Beyond Two Words (big category) 2.0-2.6 Years of Age –A. Statements show increasing knowledge of syntax, grammar, word order, etc. –B. No more overgeneralizations

15. Stages of Language Acquisition 5) Morpholigical (word parts) and Grammatical Acquisition

16. Stages of Language Acquisition Some of Brown’s Stages: –1) is and was verbs –2) in prepositions –3) on prepositions –4) plural nouns--toys, cats, dogs –5) irregular past tense verbs--came, fell, saw, hurt –6) possessive nouns--daddy’s drums –7) articles--a and the –8) past tense verbs--played, washed, wanted Parent’s usage of these 14 has little impact –Parents use articles (a & the) the most, but it is 7th –Parents use prepositions rarely, but it is 2 nd This point to “hardwiring”

17. Acquisition of Vocabulary

18. At 1.8 By 5 By 6 By 8 After 8,

19. Acquisition of Vocabulary Some Additional Information on Vocabulary An educated adult knows Shakespeare used King James Bible uses 1999 American Heritage Dictionary Oxford English Dictionary (mac daddy)

20. Phonological Acquisition or making the right sounds

21. Phonological Acquisition (Among Americans) A. At 2 months, babies react to sounds B. By 9 months, a child mimics adult intonation

22. Phonological Acquisition (Among Americans) C. Sounds learned by Age –1.0 –By 2.0 –By 3.0 –By 4.0

23. Phonological Acquisition (Among Americans) D. Why This Acquisition Order? –Not only parents usage –More important is “Functional Load” E. Children know more than they can say! –Understanding precedes usage –1.6 child recognizes 200 words, but can only say 50