Transcript SENSATION AND PERCEPTION

Chapter 7: Speech &
Language
Speech & Comprehension
Language:
Its Basic Nature
 The Development of Language
 Language in Other Species
 Evolution, Language and
Thought

Speech and Comprehension
P Comprehension: Temporal lobe - Wernick=s Area
P Production of Speech: Frontal lobe - Broca=s Area
P Phonemes: Smallest unit of sound in a particular
language. Example: pit bit , pit pat
P Morphemes: The smallest unit of sound that
conveys meaning.
Defining Language
 A language
is a set of symbols, usually
words, that convey meaning
 Language is often expressed with
gestures
 Language takes place in a social
context
 Language and culture are intertwined
Linguistics
 Linguistics
is the study of language,
including speech, sounds, meaning, and
grammar
 Psycholinguistics is the study of how
language is acquired, perceived,
understood, and produced
Linguistics
 Phonology
is the study of the patterns
and distribution of speech sounds in a
language, and the rules for their
pronunciation
 Phonemes are the smallest sounds that
compose words in a language
Linguistics
 Morphemes
are the basic units of
meaning in a language
 Semantics is the analysis of the
meaning of language
 Syntax is the way words and groups
of words combine to form phrases,
clauses, and sentences
Sentence
Stephanie kissed the crying boy
Phrase
Stephanie
Word Stephanie
Kissed the crying boy
kiss
ed
or
S
k
Morphemes
t
i
Phonemes
e
s
f
u
n
e
the
t
cry
ing
boy
th
k
i
b
u
r
ng
oy
i
Linguistics
 Grammar
is the linguistic description
of how a language functions
 Grammar deals with the rules used
for generating comprehensible and
appropriate sentences
Thought, Culture, and
Language

Culture has a great influence on language
and thought

People who believe in role and genderspecific abilities are likely to apply those
beliefs to their language and decision making

Bilingualism promotes cognitive flexibility
The Biological and Evolutionary
Basis of Language
 Chomsky
suggested that language is
innate
 He proposed humans have an inborn
“universal grammar”
 Universal grammar is an innate
mechanism that produces meaningful
sentences
Biological Theories

Chomsky and Miller assert that humans have
an innate capacity to develop language

This view states that humans are born with a
mental language acquisition device (LAD)

The LAD allows children to pay attention to
language and ultimately use it
Evidence for Innate Structure of
Language
P Universal rules of development and errors
P Language acquisition devise!
Prepared: to attend, to differentiate, to converse, to hear.
P Critical period for language development
P Attention to language (mimics)
P Universal Phonetic sensitivity
Universal Phonetic Sensitivity
Dr. Janet Werker, Psychology, UBC
Bl
Vrs
Lb
Hindi and Salish speech sounds
Before 9 months did discriminate
After 9 months didn=t discriminate
Evidence from
Development
Prepared
 Have be in a speech environment
 Overextension is universal and there is
no model
 Grammar or Rules within a given
language (indicating how words can be
combined into meaningful sentences)
is acquired in a universal sequence
and at the same stage of development

Language Studies with
Chimpanzees

Results of studies of chimpanzees can be
used to argue both for and against the idea
that language develops naturally

Washoe was taught to make a large number
of signs from American sign language

Sarah was taught words and sentences with
magnetized plastic shapes
Studies with Chimpanzees

Lana learned to press computer keys with
symbols representing words but was unable to
manipulate grammatical relations

Nim Chimpski was taught manual signing but
her signed messages did not increase in
length as children’s do