Language By Angela Moss Tanisha Flowers Reginald Alexander

Definition of Language  A language is a method of communication. Human spoken languages can be described as a system of symbols (sometimes known as lexemes) and the grammars (rules) by which the symbols are manipulated. The word language is also used to refer to the common properties of languages. Language is commonly used for communication, though it has other uses.

Language

Origins of human language  Scientists do not yet agree on when language was first used by humans (or their ancestors). Estimates range from about two million (2,000,000) years ago, during the time of Homo habiliss, to as recently as forty thousand (40,000) years ago, during the time of Cromagnon man. The nature of speech means that there is almost no data on which to base conclusions on the subject.

Origins of human language

Symbols  A symbol, in its basic sense, is a conventional representation of a concept or quantity; i.e., an idea, object, concept, quality, etc. Spoken language, for example, consists of distinct auditory tokens for representing symbolic concepts (words), arranged in an order which further suggests their meaning.

Symbols

Grammar  is the study of rules governing the use of language. The set of rules governing a particular language is also called the grammar of the language; thus, each language can be said to have its own distinct grammar. Grammar is part of the general study of language called linguistics.

Grammar

Linguistics  is the scientific study of human language, and someone who engages in this study is called a linguist or linguistician.

Linguistics

Levels of theoretical linguistics  Theoretical linguistics is often divided into a number of separate areas, to be studied more or less independently. The following divisions are currently widely acknowledged: A.Phonetics, the study of the sounds of human language B.Phonology (or phonemics), the study of patterns of a language's basic sounds C.Morphology, the study of the internal structure of words D. Syntax, the study of how words combine to form grammatical sentences

Syntax

Levels of theoretical linguistics Cont. E. Semantics, the study of the meaning of words (lexical semantics), and how these combine to form the meanings of sentences F. Pragmatics, the study of how utterances are used (literally, figuratively, or otherwise) in communicative acts

Semantics Pragmatics

How Does Language Develop

How Does Language Develop Cont.  Language is acquired through interaction exchange using that particular language and gestures, through observation and repeated practice.  Children acquire their native language primarily through that used to communicate with them  Language development is an ongoing process from birth to death

Types of Language  Verbal- What is spoken  Nonverbal- Communication other than words. a.Hand movement b.Eye contact c.Body movement

Views of Language development  Noam Chomsky a.Cognitive View—(Nativist) Its not the parents who teach language to their children, but children who teach themselves language. b. Children must be exposed to speech for speech to develop. Children imitate the sounds that they hear. B. F. Skinner a.Learning Theory- proposed that language is learnt through operant conditioning b.Language must be learned through verbal behavior

Stages of Language Acquisition  Prenatal response to human voices  Postnatal response to human voices a.Cooing( this is comprised of all possible phones) All infants coo in the same way regardless of culture, language, hearing impaired or not. b.Babbling (This is comprise only from the distinct phonemes of the primary language of the infant.  One word utterances  Multi-word utterances  Telegraphic speech  Basic adult sentence structure (by age 4)

One word multi-word

The Brain and Language

The Brain  Some of the areas of the brain involved in language processing: Broca's area, Wernicke's area, Brodmann area 40, Angular gyrus, Primary Auditory Cortex.

Broca's area  is the section of the human brain (in the opercular and triangular sections of the inferior frontal gyrus of the frontal lobe of the cortex) that is involved in language processing, speech production and comprehension.

Wernicke's area  is a part of the human brain that forms part of the cortex, on the left posterior section of the superior temporal gyrus, posterior,it is usually located in the left hemisphere. Damage to this area could cause a type of aphasia (now called Wernicke's aphasia or receptive aphasia), which results in an impairment of language comprehension, and speech that has a natural- sounding rhythm but a jumbled syntax without recognizable meaning (a condition sometimes called fluent or jargon aphasia).

Brodmann area 40  is part of the parietal cortex in the human brain. BA40 is in the area of the supramarginal gyrus, which is involved in tactile learning and memory

The angular gyrus  is a region of the brain in the parietal lobe, that lies near the superior edge of the temporal lobe, and immediately posterior to the supramarginal gyrus; it is involved in a number of processes related to language and cognition.

The primary auditory cortex  is the region of the brain that is responsible for processing of auditory (sound) information.

The End

Questions