Language acquisition

Roll # 11111046Gift University Gujranwala

Language Acquisition

❝Language is the blood of the soul into which thoughts

run and out of which they grow.❞

‒Oliver Wendell Holmes

Psycholinguistics

Psycholinguistics

Psychology + LinguisticsPsyche + Logi Scientific

Study Mind Study ofSoul of Language Something

William James“The Science of Mental Life

Study of Psychological and Neurobiological factors

that enables Human beings to Acquire , Use and

Understand Language.

The study of the relationships between linguistic behavior and

psychological processes, including the process of

language acquisition.

Psycholinguistics

Language Acquisition

Lan

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nTheories of Language

Acquisition

1. Behaviorism (imitation)

2. Reinforcement (Rewards and Punishment)

3. Analogy

4. Motherese

Issues…How do children acquire such

a complex systemDoes a child consciously learn

this skill? (e.g. Walking).Do babies make conscious

decision to start learning? In spite of different

backgrounds, locations and upbringings--- children follow the same milestones of learning.

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Innateness HypothesisChildren are equipped with an

innate template for language (Universal Grammar).

The same stages in all cultures and languages

Basic RequirementThe Child must be Physically

capable to hearLan

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Th

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Theory Central idea linguist

Behaviorist

Children imitate adults. Their

correct utterances are

reinforced when they get

what they want or are

praised.

Skinner

Innate Language is an innate

capacity. A child's brain

contains special language-

learning mechanisms at

birth.

Chomsky

Cognitive

Lang. is just one aspect of a

child’s overall intellectual

development

Piaget

Cognitive

Language is a symbolic

representation which allow

the children to abstract the

world.

Lev Vygots

ky

1. Behaviorism

Russian Scientist “ Ivan Pavlov” Edward lee Thronedlike B.F Skinner

B.F Skinner

Stimulus Response Reinforcement

Repetition

American Psychologist, Behaviorist,

author, inventor, and 

Social Philosopher

• People’s behaviors are directly observable, rather than the mental systems underlying these behaviors.

• Children are born with a mind that is like a blank state. This state is called Tabula Rasa

• Language is a verbal observable behavior .

• Chunking theory: Language is learned in parts, then linked together• 1st words 2nd phrases 3rd sentences

• Reinforcement will generalize similar stimulus generalizations

 Making Associations:

Only hearing speech does not guarantee learning Children make an association between what they hear and the meaning of the message

Vocabulary: Cold A child doesn’t learn the word just by hearing it, but must also experience cold weather or drinking cold water.Grammar: Daddy’s sleeping A child learns the present progressive by making an association between the action observed and the grammar used.

2 . Reinforcement

1. Positive Reinforcement (“Positive response on positive Behavior”)

2. Negative Reinforcement (“Removing negative and undesired consequences”)

3. Punishment (“Romoving Positive Consequences”)

4. Extinction (“Absence of Reinforcement”)

B.F Skinner“Law Of Effect”

B.F Skinner Reinforcement

2. Analogy

Hear a Sample and Extend it to all cases I painted a Red Barn

Analogy involves the formation of sentences or

phrases by using other sentences as samples.

 Gradually Children switch over to the process of ‘analogy’ –

“a reasoning process as they start working out for themselves”.

Thus children learn language step by step

Immitation

Memorization

Repetition

Controled Drilling

Reinforcement

1. Children learn to speak by imitating the utterances heard around them and analogy .

2. Children strengthen their responses by the repetitions, corrections, and other reactions that adults provide, thus language is practice based.

3. General perception is that there is no difference between the way one learns a language and the way one learns to do anything else.

4. Main focus is on inducing the child to behave with the help of mechanical drills and exercises.

5. Learning is controlled by the conditions under which it take place and that, as long as individual are subjected on the same condition, they will learn in the same condition

Popular Views:

4. Caretaker speech(Mothersese)

A type of simplified speech adopt by someone who spends time with child characterized by:

Frequent use of questionsSimplified lexiconHigher pitch and loudnessPhonological reductionStress in notationSimple sentencesLots of repetition

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(Mothersese)

Mother: look what is this.Child : touches the picturesMother: what are those?Child : vocalizes a babble strings and smile Mother: These are Rabbits.Child : vocalizes and smilesMother: (Laughs) Yes these are Rabbits.

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nCaretaker speech

(Mothersese)

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Stage Typical Age

Description

Cooing 3-5months

Vowels like sounds

Babbling 6-10months

Repetitive CV patterns

One word stage 12-18months

Single open-class words

Two word stage 18-20months

Mini sentences

Telegraphic stage 24-30months

Sentence structure

Later multiword stage

30+months

Grammatical structure

Environment and Interaction to bring this capacity into operation e.g. Genie – Cultural Transmission.

The Child must be Physicaly capable to hear.

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nBasic Requirements

Conclusion“The limits of my language are

the limits of my world.”

‒Ludwig Wittgenstein

Any Questi

on?