INTRO TO LANGUAGE ACQUISITION 2020

Summary

This video explores the intricate process of language acquisition, delving into the age-old debate between rationalists and empiricists. It highlights the pivotal role of both nature and nurture in language development, emphasizing Chomsky's rationalist stance and the empiricist perspective of behaviorists. The script outlines the stages of language development from infancy to early childhood, showcasing the progression from vegetative sounds to complex sentence structures. It also touches on the rapid vocabulary growth and the emergence of telegraphic speech, culminating in the continuous acquisition of language throughout life.

Takeaways

• 🗣️ Language acquisition is a critical aspect of human development, with debates between rationalists and empiricists on whether language abilities are innate or learned.
• 🧠 Rationalists like Plato suggest that certain fundamental ideas are innate, meaning they are present from birth.
• 🔍 Empiricists such as Locke argue against innate ideas, proposing that all knowledge comes from experience, and the mind is a 'tabula rasa' at birth.
• 👶 Children are not born silent; they make vegetative sounds and progress through stages of language development, from cooing to producing their first words.
• 🌟 Chomsky's theories align with rationalism, suggesting that language acquisition involves innate processes.
• 👶🏻 Infants engage in vocal play between 16 weeks and 6 months, making speech-like sounds with vowels emerging before consonants.
• 🗣️ At around 6 to 9 months, infants start 'bubbling,' using syllables and noticing patterns in sounds related to situations.
• 💬 The first words typically emerge around 10 or 11 months, and by 18 months, there's a rapid increase in vocabulary and the emergence of two-word sentences.
• 📚 Children's language development continues with the production of more complex sentences and an ongoing acquisition of new words throughout childhood.
• 🧩 The script highlights the importance of understanding both nature and nurture in language development, with connections to work in connectionism and cognitive structures.

Q & A

What are the two main philosophical views on how humans obtain knowledge?

The two main philosophical views are rationalism and empiricism. Rationalists, like Plato and Descartes, believe that certain fundamental ideas are innate and present from birth. Empiricists, such as Locke and Hume, reject the idea of innate knowledge, arguing that all knowledge comes from experience.

What does the term 'tabula rasa' mean in the context of Locke's philosophy?

In Locke's philosophy, 'tabula rasa' refers to the idea that the human mind at birth is a blank slate, upon which experiences write and shape future behavior.

How does Chomsky's work relate to the rationalist view on language acquisition?

Chomsky's work aligns with the rationalist view by suggesting that humans have an innate ability to acquire language, which is supported by the existence of a universal grammar that is inherent to all humans.

What is the nature-nurture debate in the context of language development?

The nature-nurture debate in language development refers to the discussion about the extent to which language abilities are determined by genetic factors (nature) versus environmental factors and experiences (nurture).

What is the role of behaviorism in the study of language acquisition?

Behaviorists, who are aligned with empiricism, argue that language is entirely learned through conditioning and reinforcement, and they reject the idea of innate cognitive structures or abilities for language acquisition.

What is the significance of the 'vocabulary explosion' in language development?

The 'vocabulary explosion' refers to the rapid increase in a child's vocabulary around 18 months of age, which is often accompanied by the emergence of two-word sentences, indicating a significant milestone in language development.

What is 'telegraphic speech' and when does it typically occur in a child's language development?

Telegraphic speech is a stage in child language development where children use simplified sentences that omit function words and inflectional morphemes, focusing on content words. It typically occurs before the age of two and a half years.

How do infants progress from making vegetative sounds to producing their first words?

Infants progress from making vegetative sounds to producing their first words through a series of stages: cooing, laughing, vocal play, bubbling, and eventually producing single-word utterances around 10 to 11 months of age.

What is the average rate at which a young teenager learns new words?

It is estimated that an average young teenager learns over 10 new words a day, indicating continuous language development throughout childhood.

What are the key milestones in infant speech perception and production?

Key milestones in infant speech perception and production include cooing at around 6 weeks, laughing at 16 weeks, vocal play between 16 weeks and 6 months, and the production of first words around 10 to 11 months.

How does the concept of 'connectionism' relate to the study of language development?

Connectionism focuses on the nature of nurture and how learning systems change with experience. It suggests that cognitive structures can arise from innate dispositions and that language development is influenced by the interaction of innate factors and environmental experiences.