Chapter 8
acquire language
map the details of a specific language onto an innate universal grammar
active
construction of a
grammar theory
applied to language learning, the theory that children observe and interact
with the world around them and form theories about language from their
experiences (same as theory theory)
arbitrariness
a design feature of language: there is no necessary or causal connection
between a signal and its meaning
behaviorist
theories
applied to language learning, theories that children need to hear language
from others around them (stimulus) and to receive praise (positive feedback)
from parents and/or caretakers in order to develop their linguistic abilities
blending
mixing two signals to form a new one
broadcast
transmission and
directional
reception
a design feature of language: the sending out of sounds in all directions and
the perception of the direction from which sounds are coming
Broca’s area
the area in the frontal region of the left cerebral hemisphere named for Paul
Broca, who first located it and proposed its connection with language
cerebral
the two halves of the human brain
hemispheres
theories
language simultaneously with their mental abilities
communication
the sending of signals or the sending and receiving of signals or the sending
and receiving of signals and the evoking of a response
corpus callosum
the membrane that connects the cells of the two cerebral hemispheres
cortex
the convoluted surface of the brain
design features of
language
a set of features proposed by Charles Hockett by which human language can
be identified and distinguished from other forms of animal communication
discreteness
a design feature of language: the units used for communication can be
separated into distinct units that cannot be mistaken for one another
present
duality of
patterning
a design feature of language: discrete units of language at one level (such as
the level of sounds) can be combined to create different kinds of units at a
different level (such as words)
innatist theories
applied to language acquisition, theories that suggest that language is
already hardwired into the human brain at birth
identical signals
