PSYCH 130 Chapter Notes - Chapter 9.1: Language Acquisition Device, Sign Language, Human Accomplishment
Document Summary
Phonology: rules governing the structure and sequence of speech sounds. Semantics: vocabulary, underlying concepts are expressed in words and word combos. Syntax: rules by which words are arranged into sentences. Morphology: use of grammatical markers indicating number, tense, case, person, gender, and other meanings. Pragmatics: rules for engaging in appropriate and effective communication. E. g. to converse, people must take turns, stay on the same topic and state meaning clearly. Involves sociolinguistic knowledge b/c society dictates how language should be spoken. Must acquire certain interaction rituals, i. e. greetings and leave takings. Language is a uniquely human accomplishment etched into the structure of the brain. All children have a language acquisition device (lad) Innate system that permits them, once they have acquired sufficient vocab, to combine words into grammatically consistent, novel utterances and understand the meaning of sentences they hear. Universal grammar: built in storehouse of rules common to all human languages.
