First Language Acquisition

Question 1

Language learning vs. Acquisition

Answer 1

Learning is consciously studying grammar and vocabulary, often in a classroom setting, mostly for SLA. Acquisition is gaining knowledge of language subconsciously, often home setting, usually FLA.

Question 2

Innateness

Answer 2

Human beings are born with the ability to learn any language.

Question 3

Universal Grammar

Answer 3

Humans are born with the capacity to learn any language at birth, slowly lose it over time as they are only exposed to certain (1L) language phonemes. (linguistic view; Chomsky)

Question 4

Behaviourism

Answer 4

Theory that children are born with and accumulate language ability as they learn. Contradicts universal grammar. (psychological view; skinner)

Question 5

Poverty of the Stimulus

Answer 5

• supports universal grammar

- children are able to produce novel sentences they have never heard before

Question 6

Language Acquisition Device

Answer 6

innate ability to acquire any language

Question 7

Children 0-6 months old

Answer 7

• do not produce speech sounds

- can distinguish sounds in un familiar languages

Question 8

Kuhl’s study

Answer 8

• study with babies from english and mandarin households
• 6-8 months, both could distinguish mandarin sounds
• 10-12 months english babies scored worse
• shows they lose ability to distinguish between sounds that aren’t present in their first language

Question 9

6+ months

Answer 9

• babies lose ability to discriminate sounds not present in their first language - begin babbling

Question 10

Canonical babbling

Answer 10

cvcv babbling (8 months)

Question 11

Developmental sequences

Answer 11

vowels > labials > interdentals

Question 12

Holophrastic Phase

Answer 12

one-word phase
~ 1 y/o
- linked with desire for action
- conveys emotion
- name things

Question 13

Early Phonetic Processes

Answer 13

Syllable deletion - usually unstressed
Syllable simplification - systematic deletion of sounds to simplify structure
Elimination of final consonants
Substitution - replacing a sound with an easier sound
Assimilation - modifying features to sound like neighbouring sounds

Question 14

Strategies for acquiring word meaning

Answer 14

1. Whole word assumption - assume new word refers to whole object
2. Type assumption - new word refers to a type of thing, not just a particular one
3. Basic level assumption - new word refers to object that is alike in basic ways

Question 15

Overextension

Answer 15

meaning of word / grammatical process is overgeneralized

Question 16

Underextension

Answer 16

meaning of word / grammatical process is overly restricted

Question 17

Telegraphic stage

Answer 17

age 2-3, using limited words like a telegraph

Question 18

U-shaped development

Answer 18

1. start correctly from mimicking adult speech
2. accumulate patterns - overgeneralize and misuse
3. use feedback and learn irregular forms

Question 19

Wug Test

Answer 19

children can apply grammatical rules to novel words - shows they have internalized systematics of their language - supports universal grammar

Question 20

Developmental sequence of morpheme acquisition

Answer 20

-ing, plural -s, 3rd person singular -s - because of frequency, syllabicity, function

Question 21

Innateness hypothesis

Answer 21

humans are suited for language acquisition - we have a blueprint on how to use language - principles of universal grammar shared between all humans

Question 22

Parameter setting

Answer 22

determining which options permitted by a parameter is appropriate for the specific language

Question 23

Critical period hypothesis

Answer 23

first few years of life when a child can acquire language if presented with adequate stimuli. ex genie