Language Acquisition By Alan D De Santis

Language Acquisition By Alan D. De. Santis

Biology vs. Culture • Each culture supplies its inhabitants with their own language • But how and when we acquire language is universal • All human brains are hardwired to learn language in the exact same way

The Open Language Window • Think of a window opening in a child’s mind from 6 months to 8 years • As language comes through the open window, there is a “program” that arranges and organizes all incoming data (talk) in the exact same way

Children’s Mistakes: Not Just Mimicry • We use to think children learn language solely through mimicking adults • But their mistakes become very predictable

Three Case Studies: When Our Language Window is Opened

Case Study Of “The Wild Boy” • Victor is the name given to a boy found roaming the woods of Averyon in southern France toward the end of September 1799. • He behaved like a wild animal and gave all indications that he had been raised by wild animals, eating off the floor, making canine noises, disliking baths and clothes. • He also could not speak. • He was taken in by a Doctor (Jean Marc Itard) who had developed a reputation for teaching the deaf to speak. • After years of work, Itard failed to teach Victor more than a few words. • Victor was eventually forgotten. A state pension kept him alive, like an animal in a zoo. • When he died no one noticed.

Case Study of Genie • A similar event unfolded in Los Angeles in 1970 when a 13 -year-old girl was discovered who had been isolated in a baby crib – Her father had decided that she was retarded at birth, and because of this subjected her to severe isolation as well as ritual ill-treatment. – There was no radio or TV in the house due to the father's intolerance of noise – She was physically immature, had difficulty walking and could only babble like an infant • Psychologists at UCLA spent years trying to teach Genie to speak. • While Genie did get to the point where she could communicate, her speech never advanced beyond a 3 -year old level – In other words, she could use words to the same extent as chimpanzees but could not manipulate grammar • At middle age she stopped talking altogether and was soon committed to a mental institution.

Case Study of Vincent • “Hearing” speech is not enough—children need real life people talking to them. • Vincent was born to deaf parents who communicated with him by signing – He became fully competent from infancy • His parents also encouraged him to watch a lot of TV thinking that he would be able to learn the spoken word • By 3, however, he was still speechless – Researchers began working with him at 3 – He was seriously behind—and still feels some of the effects • In short, TV is no substitute to real live people

What American Parents Do • Characteristics of “responsible” parent talk • But this is not necessary: • Children don’t need it. They pick up language simple by being in an environment where language is used. • The “responsible” model only functions to: – 1) – 2)

Stages of Language Acquisition

Stages of Language Acquisition • 1) Babbling • Starts at 6 months – A. Utters various identical syllables – B. These sounds happen across all cultures – C. Children learn to make these “protowords” into meaningful utterances

Stages of Language Acquisition • 2) One-Word Stage • One year (Same time they learn to walk) – A. They utter their first right word – B. Words are overgeneralized – C. Single words are used to convey whole propositions

Stages of Language Acquisition • 3) Two-Word Stage • 20 Months • A. Develop idea of Subject and Predicate • B. Vocabulary is at 50 words

Stages of Language Acquisition • 4) Beyond Two Words (big category) • 2. 0 -2. 6 Years of Age – A. Statements show increasing knowledge of syntax, grammar, word order, etc. – B. No more overgeneralizations

Stages of Language Acquisition • 5) Morpholigical (word parts) and Grammatical Acquisition

Stages of Language Acquisition • Some of Brown’s Stages: – – – – 1) is and was verbs 2) in prepositions 3) on prepositions 4) plural nouns--toys, cats, dogs 5) irregular past tense verbs--came, fell, saw, hurt 6) possessive nouns--daddy’s drums 7) articles--a and the 8) past tense verbs--played, washed, wanted • Parent’s usage of these 14 has little impact – Parents use articles (a & the) the most, but it is 7 th – Parents use prepositions rarely, but it is 2 nd • This point to “hardwiring”

Acquisition of Vocabulary

Acquisition of Vocabulary • At 1. 8 • By 5 • By 6 • By 8 • After 8,

Acquisition of Vocabulary • Some Additional Information on Vocabulary • • An educated adult knows Shakespeare used King James Bible uses 1999 American Heritage Dictionary • Oxford English Dictionary (mac daddy)

Phonological Acquisition or making the right sounds

Phonological Acquisition (Among Americans) • A. At 2 months, babies react to sounds • B. By 9 months, a child mimics adult intonation

Phonological Acquisition (Among Americans) • C. Sounds learned by Age – 1. 0 – By 2. 0 – By 3. 0 – By 4. 0

Phonological Acquisition (Among Americans) • D. Why This Acquisition Order? – Not only parents usage – More important is “Functional Load” • E. Children know more than they can say! – Understanding precedes usage – 1. 6 child recognizes 200 words, but can only say 50