PSYC1111 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: American Sign Language, Linguistic Determinism, Pragmatics
Document Summary
Use of words spoken, written, or signed. Importance- transmit cultural knowledge from one generation to the next. Primary method for doing things together (collaboration) Expand knowledge of one another and the world. Language structure (every language has these three) Smallest unit of sound in a language. English has about 40 units of sound. Smallest unit of meaning in a language. If removed or added changes meaning of word. System of rules that enables humans to combine sounds to create something people can understand. Deriving meaning from sounds (meaning of statement) Ie. actually doing implied steps when reading ingredient steps. Ordering words into sentences ie . literally reading ingredients. Understand what is said - 4 months. One- word stage (first words typically nouns) ie kitty. The innate view - theorized by chomsky (70s) Time during which language develops readily and after which language acquisition is much more difficult and ultimately less successful. Abandoned by parents, lived alone in woods.
