Introduction to Psychology Suzy Scherf Lecture 11: How Do We Think? Language.

Introduction to PsychologySuzy Scherf

Lecture 11: How Do We Think?

Language

What is Language?

Language is a system composed -

Components of Language

Phonology

• Sound structure of the language

• A ____________ is the smallest perceptual unit -

Phonology

• Universal set of____ phonemes for all languages

• Any language only uses -

• Phonological development -

Phonology• Disorders of phonology:

• Apraxia -

• Articulation disorders -

• Developmental phonological disorders -

Morphology

• ______________ of the language

• A ____________ is the smallest language unit that

• Morphemes include stems and affixesStems =

Affixes =

Morphology

• Rules for combining morphemes makes new words:

• dance + -ed = • strange + -er + -s = • re- + align =• warm + up =

• Some morphological relatives just memorized:

• go + past tense = • eat + past tense =

Morphology

• Some languages have very extensive morphological systems (like 6000 variations of a single verb)

• Morphological development -

Morphology

• Disorders of morphology:

• Specific Language Impairment -

• Williams’ Syndrome -

“She remembered when she hurts herself the other day.”

“Carol is cry in the church.”

Semantics

• ___________ conveyed by words in the language

• Word meanings pick out -

• Words are ___________ not _____________

Semantics

• No -

• Pidgins -

• Newport’s study of Chinese immigrants

• No consistent -

Semantics

Pidgin in Hawaii spoken by immigrants:

•“Me cape buy, me check make.”

• “Good, dis one. Kaukau any-kin’ dis one. Pilipine islan’ no good. No mo money.”

Semantics

Disorders of Semantics:

•Anomia -

• Semantic dementia -

• Wernickie’s Aphasia

Language and the Brain -Wernicke’s Area

Language and the Brain -Wernicke’s Aphasia

“Well this is …mother is away here working her work out o’here4 to get her better, but when she’s looking, the two boys look in the other part. One their small tile into her time here. She’s working another time because she’s getting to. So two boys work together and one is sneaking’ around here, making his work an’ his further funnas his time he had.” (Goodlass & Kaplan, 1983)

Semantics and Wernicke’s Area

Part of the brain that:

1.

2.

3.

4.

Syntax/Grammar

• The rules for -

• Important difference between:

• Prescriptive Grammar -

• Descriptive Grammar -

Syntax/Grammar

• Prescriptive Grammar:

• All languages related by ___________________

• All languages related -

• No language more -

• Labov’s study of grammatical sentences

Syntax/Grammar

• Prescriptive Grammar:

• “My bank is awful” -

• “My bank are awful” -

• “My bank be awful” -

Syntax/Grammar

• Descriptive Grammar Includes:

1. Rules for combining morphemes2. Word Order3. Forming contractions4. Implementing who did what to whom in a sentence

Syntax

1. Rules for combining morphemes:

• Darwin + -ian =

• Darwin + -ism =

• Darwin + -ian + -ism =

• Darwin + -ism + -ian =

Syntax

2. Rules for Word Order:

She watered the plant.

The plant was watered.

The plant, she watered it.

The plant watered her.

Syntax

3. Forming contractions:

• Yes he is coming. Yes he’s coming.

• She said you are ready. She said you’re ready.

• Yes he is! Yes he’s!

• I don’t care what you are. I don’t care what you’re.

Syntax

4. Implementing who did what to whom:

He gave her some money.

He gave her.

He gave the money.

Syntax

4. Implementing who did what to whom:

He touched her with the money.

He touched her.

He touched the money.

Grammar/Syntax

• Syntactic development seems -

• Creoles -

• Children interject -

Grammar/Syntax

Examples from Hawaiian Creole:

• “Da firs japani cam ran away from japan come.”

• “Some filipine wok o’he-ah dey wen’ couple ye-ahs in filipin islan’.”

Language and the Brain - Broca’s Area

Language and the Brain -Broca’s Aphasia

“Cookie jar …fall over …. chair …water …. empty.” (Goodlass & Kaplan, 1983)

Syntax and Broca’s Area

Part of the brain that:

1.

2.

3.

4.

Pragmatics

• Using language appropriately

•

•

• In autistic individuals who develop language -

What is Language Designed to Do?

• Communication?

Rhesus Macque

Communication systems does have a finite set of sounds, but no rules to generate an infinite set of combinations of sounds

Is Language a Uniquely HumanAdaptation?

We alone among terrestrial mammals seem able to -

Descent of the Human Larynx allows for Speech


What about the ability to learn words and combine them to form sentences?

Why Study Language in Chimps and Apes?

Kanzi - Bonobo Chimp

Kanzi Learning to use a Keyboard

Iconic vs. Symbolic Gestures/Words

Chimp signing “HUG”

Chimp Signing “APPLE”

Koko - Gorilla

Koko Signing “APPLE” in Front of her Keyboard

Penny Patterson as interpreter

Question: Koko are you going to have a baby in the future?

Koko signs: PinkPatterson explains: We had earlier discussion about colors today.

Interview with Koko

Question: Do you like to chat with people?

Koko signs: Fine nipple.

Patterson explains: Nipple rhymes with people, she doesn't sign people per se, she was trying to do a "sounds like..."

Question: Does she have hair? Or is it like fur?

Koko signs: Fine.Patterson explains: She has fine hair.

Question: Koko, do you feel love from the humans who have raised you?

Koko signs: Lips, apple give me.Patterson explains: People give her her favorite foods.


Chimps and Gorillas appear to be able to:


Chimps and Gorillas appear to be sensitive to:


Chimps and Gorillas are not sensitive to -

Evidence of Language as an Adaptation?

• Complex, specialized skill -

• Cultural artifacts vary widely in their sophistication across societies -

• Ubiquitous -


• Develops in all children spontaneously -

• Pattern of acquisition consistent in -

• Children not acquiring language by -


• Lack of language or lose of language incredibly debilitating

• Incredibly canalized -

• Qualitative the same in all individuals -

What is Language For?

•

•

•

Introduction to Psychology Suzy Scherf Lecture 11: How Do We Think? Language.

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