1. © Richard Goldman October 31, 2006
Module 22 Language Chapter 7, Pages Essentials of Understanding Psychology- Sixth Edition PSY110 Psychology
© Richard Goldman
October 31, 2006

2. Grammar: Language’s Language
Phonology – Study of basic parts of speech
Phonemes:
58 different sounds used in English
869 different sounds used world wide
Smallest language uses 15 phonemes
Largest uses 141 phonemes
Syntax – Rules of sentence structure
Semantics – The meaning of words

3. Language Development 3 months – 1 year 6 months – 8 months ~1 year
Babbling – practicing making sounds
Can differentiate and imitate all 869 phonemes
6 months – 8 months
Start to specialize on sounds in their environment
Begins to lose ability identify unheard phonemes
(Makes it very difficult or impossible to acquire the ability to “hear” (perceive) or create these sounds later in life.)
~1 year
Stop producing sound not being heard

4. Language Production ~1 year ~2 year ~2 ½ years ~3 years ~5 years
Comprehension precedes production (They can understand some of what you say before the can speak.)
Start with short words with b, d, m, p, & t.
~2 year
Vocabulary of ~50 words
Start grouping words together
~2 ½ years
Vocabulary of several hundred words
Telegraphic Speech - Start short sentences (Subject and predicate without other parts of grammar)
~3 years
Can pluralize nouns and create past tense
Many overgeneralization errors
~5 years
Has acquired basic rules of language

5. Language Acquisition Learning-theory Approach
Language is learned through reinforcement and conditioning.
The more parents speak to their children the more language they learn
Language-acquisition Device (neural system)
Humans are born with an innate linguistic capability.
All languages share a universal grammar.