PSY 102 Chapter Notes - Chapter 8: Vocal Tract, Vocal Folds, Sign Language

• School: Ryerson University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSY 102
• Professor: Tisha Ornstein

Document Summary

Language - a system of communication that combines symbols, such as words or gestural signs, in rule based ways to create meaning language tends to be arbitrary. Enables us to express our thoughts about social interactions. Using and interpreting language usually requires little attention. Our ability to use language requires the coordination of an enormous number of cognitive, social, and physical skills. The ability to produce language requires the delicate interplay among breath control, vocal cords, throat and mouth positions, and tongue movement. Categories of sounds our vocal apparatus produces. The(cid:455)"(cid:396)e i(cid:374)flue(cid:374)(cid:272)ed (cid:271)(cid:455) ele(cid:373)e(cid:374)ts of ou(cid:396) (cid:448)o(cid:272)al t(cid:396)a(cid:272)t, i(cid:374)(cid:272)ludi(cid:374)g ou(cid:396) lips, teeth, to(cid:374)gue pla(cid:272)e(cid:373)e(cid:374)t, (cid:448)i(cid:271)(cid:396)atio(cid:374) of the vocal cords, opening and closing of our throat. Experts believe there are probably around 100 phonemes across all languages. Each language includes only a small subset of them. The smallest units of meaning in a language. Convey information about semantics meaning derived from words and sentences.