LANGUAGE ACQUISITION - ANSWER Almost every human child succeeds in learning lan-
guage. The most complex skill that a human being will ever master. Nearly all people suc-
ceed in learning this complex skill demonstrates how well language has adapted to human
nature. Language is the complete expression of what it means to be human.
Basic Components of Human Language - ANSWER 1.Phonology
2.Semantics
3.Grammar:
4.Pragmatics:
5.Morphology:
6.Syntax:
phonology - ANSWER The study of the sound system of a given language and the analysis
and classification of its phonemes.
Semantics - ANSWER The system of meanings that are expressed by words and phrases.
In order to serve as a means of communication between people, words must have a shared
or conventional meaning. Picking out the correct meaning for each new word is a major
learning task for children.
Grammer - ANSWER The system of rules by which words and phrases are arranged to
make meaningful statements. Children need to learn how to use the ordering of words to
mark grammatical functions such as subject or direct object.
Pragmatics - ANSWER The field of study that emphasizes how language is used in specific
situations to accomplish goals
1
,Morphology - ANSWER The study of word formation and structure.
Syntax - ANSWER The grammatical arrangement of words in sentences;the rules for com-
bining words into grammatically sensible sentences in a given language,
Methods for Studying Language Acquisition - ANSWER 1. Recording and transcribing
what children say.
2. Researchers can HABITUATE
3. Children can be shown pictures of toys along with their name
Methods for Studying Language Acquision - ANSWER 4. Children can be asked to answer
questions,
5. repeat sentences
6. judgments about grammar.
Reasons for Studying Language Acquisition - ANSWER Having obtained a set of data from
children or their parents, researchers next need to group these data into measures of partic-
ular types of language skills, such as vocabulary, sentences, concepts, or conversational
abilities.
What is Language? - ANSWER Language is the human capacity for acquiring and using
complex systems of communication.
Linguistics - ANSWER The scientific study of language is called linguistics.
How Many Language are there? - ANSWER Number of languages and dialects. estimates
vary between around 6,000 and 7,000 languages
2
,What does Human Language Rely on? - ANSWER social convention and learning.
How did Language originate? - ANSWER Language is thought to have originated when
early hominins first started cooperating, gradually changing their primate communication
systems as they acquired the ability to form a theory of other minds and shared intentional-
ity.The use of language is deeply entrenched in human culture.
Where is Language processed in the brain? - ANSWER Language is processed in many dif-
ferent locations in the human brain, but especially in Broca's and Wernicke's areas.
How do humans acquire language? - ANSWER Humans acquire language through social
interaction in early childhood. Children generally speak fluently when they are around three
years old.
What are the social and cultural uses of Language? - ANSWER Signifying group identity,
social stratification, as well as for social grooming and entertainment.
Semiosis - ANSWER To relate signs with particular meanings. Languages rely on the pro-
cess of semiosis.
How are languages Systematic? - ANSWER All languages have systems.
Phonological system - ANSWER Governs how symbols are used to form sequences known
as words or morphemes.
Universality of Linguistic Structures or Languages - ANSWER All languages are systemic
All languages are conventional
All languages are redundant.
All languages change.
3
, How are languages Conventional? - ANSWER It means that everyone speaks the language
the same way. All of a certain item has one name.
How are languages Redundant? - ANSWER It means that all languages say the same
things twice (e.g. subject-verb agreement.)
How do languages Change? - ANSWER Languages never stay the same. New words are
added, their is a loss of words, or both.
Syntactic System - ANSWER A system of rules and structures which governs how words
and morphemes are combined to form phrases and utterances.
Potential For Differences among Languages - ANSWER Languages evolve and diversify
over time, and the history of their evolution can be reconstructed by comparing modern lan-
guages to determine which traits their ancestral languages must have had for the later
stages to have occurred.
What is a Language Family? - ANSWER A group of languages that descend from a com-
mon ancestor is known as a language family.
olondo European Language Family - ANSWER English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian and
Hindi.
Sino-Tibetan language Family - ANSWER Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese and many others
Semitic language Family - ANSWER Arabic, Amharic and Hebrew
oBantu language Family - ANSWER which include Swahili, Zulu, Shona and hundreds of
other languages spoken throughout Africa.
4
guage. The most complex skill that a human being will ever master. Nearly all people suc-
ceed in learning this complex skill demonstrates how well language has adapted to human
nature. Language is the complete expression of what it means to be human.
Basic Components of Human Language - ANSWER 1.Phonology
2.Semantics
3.Grammar:
4.Pragmatics:
5.Morphology:
6.Syntax:
phonology - ANSWER The study of the sound system of a given language and the analysis
and classification of its phonemes.
Semantics - ANSWER The system of meanings that are expressed by words and phrases.
In order to serve as a means of communication between people, words must have a shared
or conventional meaning. Picking out the correct meaning for each new word is a major
learning task for children.
Grammer - ANSWER The system of rules by which words and phrases are arranged to
make meaningful statements. Children need to learn how to use the ordering of words to
mark grammatical functions such as subject or direct object.
Pragmatics - ANSWER The field of study that emphasizes how language is used in specific
situations to accomplish goals
1
,Morphology - ANSWER The study of word formation and structure.
Syntax - ANSWER The grammatical arrangement of words in sentences;the rules for com-
bining words into grammatically sensible sentences in a given language,
Methods for Studying Language Acquisition - ANSWER 1. Recording and transcribing
what children say.
2. Researchers can HABITUATE
3. Children can be shown pictures of toys along with their name
Methods for Studying Language Acquision - ANSWER 4. Children can be asked to answer
questions,
5. repeat sentences
6. judgments about grammar.
Reasons for Studying Language Acquisition - ANSWER Having obtained a set of data from
children or their parents, researchers next need to group these data into measures of partic-
ular types of language skills, such as vocabulary, sentences, concepts, or conversational
abilities.
What is Language? - ANSWER Language is the human capacity for acquiring and using
complex systems of communication.
Linguistics - ANSWER The scientific study of language is called linguistics.
How Many Language are there? - ANSWER Number of languages and dialects. estimates
vary between around 6,000 and 7,000 languages
2
,What does Human Language Rely on? - ANSWER social convention and learning.
How did Language originate? - ANSWER Language is thought to have originated when
early hominins first started cooperating, gradually changing their primate communication
systems as they acquired the ability to form a theory of other minds and shared intentional-
ity.The use of language is deeply entrenched in human culture.
Where is Language processed in the brain? - ANSWER Language is processed in many dif-
ferent locations in the human brain, but especially in Broca's and Wernicke's areas.
How do humans acquire language? - ANSWER Humans acquire language through social
interaction in early childhood. Children generally speak fluently when they are around three
years old.
What are the social and cultural uses of Language? - ANSWER Signifying group identity,
social stratification, as well as for social grooming and entertainment.
Semiosis - ANSWER To relate signs with particular meanings. Languages rely on the pro-
cess of semiosis.
How are languages Systematic? - ANSWER All languages have systems.
Phonological system - ANSWER Governs how symbols are used to form sequences known
as words or morphemes.
Universality of Linguistic Structures or Languages - ANSWER All languages are systemic
All languages are conventional
All languages are redundant.
All languages change.
3
, How are languages Conventional? - ANSWER It means that everyone speaks the language
the same way. All of a certain item has one name.
How are languages Redundant? - ANSWER It means that all languages say the same
things twice (e.g. subject-verb agreement.)
How do languages Change? - ANSWER Languages never stay the same. New words are
added, their is a loss of words, or both.
Syntactic System - ANSWER A system of rules and structures which governs how words
and morphemes are combined to form phrases and utterances.
Potential For Differences among Languages - ANSWER Languages evolve and diversify
over time, and the history of their evolution can be reconstructed by comparing modern lan-
guages to determine which traits their ancestral languages must have had for the later
stages to have occurred.
What is a Language Family? - ANSWER A group of languages that descend from a com-
mon ancestor is known as a language family.
olondo European Language Family - ANSWER English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian and
Hindi.
Sino-Tibetan language Family - ANSWER Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese and many others
Semitic language Family - ANSWER Arabic, Amharic and Hebrew
oBantu language Family - ANSWER which include Swahili, Zulu, Shona and hundreds of
other languages spoken throughout Africa.
4
