Week 6: Language Acquisition

The object of study Language acquisition is the study of the processes through which humans acquire language. Language acquisition is the study of the processes through which humans acquire language. By itself, language acquisition refers to first language acquisition, which studies infants' acquisition of their native language, whereas second language acquisition deals with acquisition of additional languages in both children and adults. By itself, language acquisition refers to first language acquisition, which studies infants' acquisition of their native language, whereas second language acquisition deals with acquisition of additional languages in both children and adults.

Language and communication It is a commonly held view that language evolved as a tool for communication. It is a commonly held view that language evolved as a tool for communication. 1. Human language can be seen primarily as a socially, or culturally determined tool for communication. 2. Alternatively, language can be seen primarily as a cognitive mechanism for structuring utterances and perhaps also thoughts.

Acquiring language One of the complexities of acquiring language is that it is learned by infants from what appears to be very little input. One of the complexities of acquiring language is that it is learned by infants from what appears to be very little input. This has led to the long-standing debate between the two different groups of scholars:

Nativist theories —Chomky is the preeminent name here—place the distinctiveness of language in specific genetic endowment for a specifically genetically instructed language module. Under that view, there is minimal learning involved in acquiring a language. Nativist theories —Chomky is the preeminent name here—place the distinctiveness of language in specific genetic endowment for a specifically genetically instructed language module. Under that view, there is minimal learning involved in acquiring a language. Empiricists like Hobbes and Locke argued that knowledge emerge ultimately from abstracted sense impressions. Empiricists like Hobbes and Locke argued that knowledge emerge ultimately from abstracted sense impressions.

The precise form of language must be acquired through exposure to a speech community. Words are definitely not inbron, but the capacity to acquire language and use it creatively seems to be inborn. N. Chomsky calls this ability the LAD (Language Acquisition Device). The precise form of language must be acquired through exposure to a speech community. Words are definitely not inbron, but the capacity to acquire language and use it creatively seems to be inborn. N. Chomsky calls this ability the LAD (Language Acquisition Device).

Co-evolutionary theory There are also co-evolutionary proposals: Language is not an instinct and there is no genetically installed linguistic black box in our brains. Language arose slowly through cognitive and cultural inventiveness. There are also co-evolutionary proposals: Language is not an instinct and there is no genetically installed linguistic black box in our brains. Language arose slowly through cognitive and cultural inventiveness. Language began as a cognitive adaptation and genetic assimilation. Cognitive effort and genetic assimilation interacted as language and brain co- evolved. Language began as a cognitive adaptation and genetic assimilation. Cognitive effort and genetic assimilation interacted as language and brain co- evolved.

Human language is made possible by special adaptations of the human mind and body that occurred in the course of human evolution, and which are put to use by children in acquiring their mother tongue Human language is made possible by special adaptations of the human mind and body that occurred in the course of human evolution, and which are put to use by children in acquiring their mother tongue

A Critical Period for Language Acquisition Critical Period Hypothesis: Exposure to language before puberty is necessary for language acquisition. Children with delayed exposure to language:“The Wild Boy of Aveyron”. Genie Sample utterances by Genie: Sample utterances by Genie: Mike paint. Mike paint. Applesauce buy store. Applesauce buy store. Small two cup. Small two cup. I like hear music ice cream truck. I like hear music ice cream truck. Think about Mama love Genie. Think about Mama love Genie.

Milestones in Language Development Language Stage Beginning Age Language Stage Beginning Age Crying! Birth Crying! Birth Cooing! 6 weeks Cooing! 6 weeks Babbling! 6 months Babbling! 6 months Intonation patterns! 8 months Intonation patterns! 8 months One-word utterances! 1 year One-word utterances! 1 year Two-word utterances! 18 months Two-word utterances! 18 months Word inflections! 2 years Word inflections! 2 years Questions, negations! 2 1/4 years Questions, negations! 2 1/4 years Rare and complex constructions! 5 years Rare and complex constructions! 5 years Mature speech! 10 years Mature speech! 10 years

Pre-Verbal Language Development Pre-Verbal Language Development Crying: Non-linguistic Though some language specific elements. Crying: Non-linguistic Though some language specific elements. Cooing: Non-linguistic. Exercising the articulatory apparatus. Imitation and the beginning of turn-taking. Cooing: Non-linguistic. Exercising the articulatory apparatus. Imitation and the beginning of turn-taking. Babbling: here infants are clearly producing syllable like sounds. No meaning attached to the babble. Syllables are often found in repetitive sequences (babababa). Children clearly utilise their babling to tune their vocalisation to the sounds of the local language. Babbling: here infants are clearly producing syllable like sounds. No meaning attached to the babble. Syllables are often found in repetitive sequences (babababa). Children clearly utilise their babling to tune their vocalisation to the sounds of the local language. Babbling as part of the biologically determined maturation of language abilities. Babbling as part of the biologically determined maturation of language abilities. Babbling drift: Around 9-14 months infants restrict their babbling to native language sounds. Babbling drift: Around 9-14 months infants restrict their babbling to native language sounds.

First words Shortly before their first birthday, babies begin to understand words, and around that birthday, they start to produce them. Words are usually produced in isolation; this one-word stage can last from two months to a year. Shortly before their first birthday, babies begin to understand words, and around that birthday, they start to produce them. Words are usually produced in isolation; this one-word stage can last from two months to a year. Children's first words are similar all over the planet. About half the words are for objects: food (juice, cookie), body parts (eye, nose), clothing (diaper, sock), vehicles (car, boat), toys (doll, block), household items (bottle, light), animals (doggie, kitty), and people (mama, dada, baby). Children's first words are similar all over the planet. About half the words are for objects: food (juice, cookie), body parts (eye, nose), clothing (diaper, sock), vehicles (car, boat), toys (doll, block), household items (bottle, light), animals (doggie, kitty), and people (mama, dada, baby). There are words for actions, motions, and routines, like (up, off, open, peekaboo, eat, and go, and modifiers, like hot, all gone, more, dirty, and cold. There are words for actions, motions, and routines, like (up, off, open, peekaboo, eat, and go, and modifiers, like hot, all gone, more, dirty, and cold.

The Influence of Experience on Phonological Processing

Lexical Development Children start producing their first words around 12 Children start producing their first words around 12months. Words are used holophrastically: A word stands for Words are used holophrastically: A word stands for an entire sentence. By 24 months they have an expressive vocabulary of By 24 months they have an expressive vocabulary of between 50 to 600 words.  Experience matters for vocabulary growth.  Privileged children hear about 2,100 words/hour.  Disadvantaged children hear only about 600 words/hour.

Syntactic Development Months: Two-word utterances Months: Two-word utterances 95% of utterances: Correct word order. 95% of utterances: Correct word order. Telegraphic speech (few function words). Telegraphic speech (few function words).

Syntactic Development How do children fit long thoughts into two word utterances? Children appear to use vertical constructions of utterances (Moskowitz, 1991). Breaking thoughts down into two-word utterances. Child: Tape corder. Use it. Use it. Child: Tape corder. Use it. Use it. Adult: Use it for what? Adult: Use it for what? Child: Talk. Corder talk. Brenda talk. Child: Talk. Corder talk. Brenda talk. Adults use horizontal constructions. - Complete word-by-word specification of thoughts.

24-48 Months: Complexity and length of utterances increase rapidly. > “normal” conversation Months: Complexity and length of utterances increase rapidly. > “normal” conversation. How do children achieve this rapid increase in sentence complexity and length? How do children achieve this rapid increase in sentence complexity and length?.

Childish creativity Despite the obvious impact the environment has on the choice and general direction of mother-tongue learning, children are prone to come up with all kinds of words and expressions which they have never heard in their environment. Daughter: Somebody’s at the door. Daughter: Somebody’s at the door. Mother: There is nobody at the door. Mother: There is nobody at the door. Daughter: There is yesbody at the door. Daughter: There is yesbody at the door.