Psycholinguistics: The Psychology of Language Language Acquisition.
Psy1302 Psychology of Language Lecture 2 What is Language?
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Transcript of Psy1302 Psychology of Language Lecture 2 What is Language?
Psy1302 Psy1302 Psychology of Psychology of LanguageLanguage
Lecture 2Lecture 2
What is Language?What is Language?
What is What is Psycholinguistics?Psycholinguistics?
Psycholinguistics or psychology of language is the study of the psychological and neurobiological factors that enable humans to acquire, use, and understand language.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psycholinguistics
Last Lecture: Review
Why psycholinguistics?Why psycholinguistics? Language sets us apart from other animals.Language sets us apart from other animals.
Intellectual curiosity about ourselves should lead us Intellectual curiosity about ourselves should lead us to ask how we understand and produce language, to ask how we understand and produce language, how we use it in everyday situations, and how we how we use it in everyday situations, and how we learn it.learn it.
Knowledge gained through psycholinguistics is Knowledge gained through psycholinguistics is useful in our everyday lives and has applications for useful in our everyday lives and has applications for engineering, education, health, and policy making. engineering, education, health, and policy making.
Last Lecture: Review
What is language?What is language?Harley, T. (1995, p. 8).Harley, T. (1995, p. 8). ““Many introductions to the Many introductions to the
studies of language, linguistics, studies of language, linguistics, avoid giving a definition.”avoid giving a definition.”
““One attempt to side-step the One attempt to side-step the thorny issue of providing a thorny issue of providing a definition is to list properties.”definition is to list properties.”
OutlineOutline What is language?What is language? What is communication?What is communication?
– Examples of animal communication Examples of animal communication systemsystem
– How are these systems similar or How are these systems similar or different than human languages?different than human languages?
How is language special?How is language special?
Today’s Theme: Language and Animal Communication System
A language is a system of signals, such as voice sounds, gestures or written symbols, that encode or decode information.
Human languages are usually referred to as natural languages, and the science of studying them is linguistics.
The term "animal languages" is often used for non-human languages. Most researchers agree that these are not as complex or expressive as human language; they may better be described as animal communication. Some researchers argue that there are significant differences separating human language from the communication of other animals, and that the underlying principles are unrelated.
What is language?What is language?
Human Language vs. “Animal Human Language vs. “Animal Language”Language” Is the difference between an Is the difference between an animal animal
communication systemcommunication system and and human human languagelanguage just a matter of degree? just a matter of degree?
Is there a sense in which human Is there a sense in which human language stands above the other language stands above the other communication systems? communication systems?
Echo and Narcissus by John William Waterhouse.
Ahhh…. Leopard is here!!!
Receiver - “Listener”
Leopard is here… gotta
hide up in the tree
Sender - “Speaker”
Signal transmission
Animal Communication Systems
Animal CommunicationAnimal Communication
Why do animals communicate?Why do animals communicate? Learn from each other
information about– Food– Enemies/Friends– Territories (displays)– Location (odors and calls)– Mates– Emotions/feelings/thoughts
Animal Communication Systems
Animal Communication Systems
From: Ekman & Friesian New Guinea
Fireflies and courtshipFireflies and courtship Fireflies have species- and sex-specific
flash codes used for detecting mates Flash communication in fireflies
(Carlson & Copeland 1985)– Flashing behavior is greatly affected by
fireflies’ state of arousal– Excited fireflies produce rapid and varied luminescent emissions
Animal Communication Systems
Bee Dance for FoodBee Dance for Food
The angle from the sun indicates direction of food source. The duration of the waggle part of the dance signifies the distance. Approximately 1 second of dance = 1 km distance.
Bee communicates through a series of complex dances, which can be divided into:– round dance for short-
distance– sickle dance (Italian)– tail-wagging (Australian)
Dances communicates – quality/quantity of the
food– distance and direction
from the hive.
Animal Communication Systems
Bee Dance for FoodBee Dance for Food
What do the following findings What do the following findings suggest:suggest:
Bees raised in isolation, can dance the Bees raised in isolation, can dance the appropriate dance immediately among appropriate dance immediately among introduction into the colony.introduction into the colony.
ItalianItalian Bees raised with Bees raised with AustralianAustralian Bees do not learn the Australian Bee’s Bees do not learn the Australian Bee’s dance, and vice versa – others cannot dance, and vice versa – others cannot interpret their dances.interpret their dances.
Animal Communication Systems
Bee Dance for FoodBee Dance for Food
The structure of the bees’ The structure of the bees’ “language” allows it to “language” allows it to convey infinite number of convey infinite number of messages.messages.
However, the message However, the message content is always about content is always about “look for the honey at “look for the honey at location X.”location X.”
The angle from the sun indicates direction of the food source. The duration of the waggle part of the dance signifies the distance. Approximately 1 second of dance = 1 km distance.
Animal Communication Systems
Sparrow SongsSparrow Songs
Songs are highly structuredSongs are highly structured– Notes, Syllables, and PhrasesNotes, Syllables, and Phrases
Animal Communication Systems
student
teacher
Sparrow SongsSparrow Songs
Songs are highly structuredSongs are highly structured– Notes, Syllables, and PhrasesNotes, Syllables, and Phrases
Songs have fixed meaningSongs have fixed meaning Songs are learnedSongs are learned
– Regional dialectsRegional dialects Learning, however, is innately guided (Marler, Learning, however, is innately guided (Marler,
1990)1990)– Many species of sparrows prefer to learn the songs Many species of sparrows prefer to learn the songs
of their own speciesof their own species– And if they are only exposed to other species’ And if they are only exposed to other species’
songs, they follow species-specific structuresongs, they follow species-specific structure– Learning is subjected to a sensitive period (must be Learning is subjected to a sensitive period (must be
learned within a time period)learned within a time period)
Animal Communication Systems
White-Crown SparrowWhite-Crown Sparrow
White-crown White-crown sparrow #1 in sparrow #1 in isolationisolation
White-crown White-crown sparrow #2 w/ tutorsparrow #2 w/ tutor
White-crown White-crown sparrow’s tutorsparrow’s tutor
Animal Communication Systems
Vervet Alarm CallsVervet Alarm Calls
Three Calls for Predators. Three Calls for Predators. – LeopardLeopard– EagleEagle– SnakeSnake
Animal Communication Systems
Male (KN) Female (LO)
Vervet ‘Leopard’ Alarm Vervet ‘Leopard’ Alarm CallCall
Animal Communication Systems
Female (BA)
Vervet ‘Eagle’ Alarm Call
Vervet ‘Eagle’ Alarm Vervet ‘Eagle’ Alarm CallCall
Animal Communication Systems
Male (KN) Female (LB)
Vervet ‘Snake’ Alarm Vervet ‘Snake’ Alarm CallCall
Animal Communication Systems
Vervet Alarm CallsVervet Alarm Calls
Learning is involved in narrowing Learning is involved in narrowing down the referent (the thing being down the referent (the thing being referred to).referred to).
Calls are not involuntary.Calls are not involuntary.
Animal Communication Systems
Emotional Response Emotional Response vs. Audience Designvs. Audience Design
Some evidence suggest the calls Some evidence suggest the calls are not involuntary are not involuntary (Cheney & Seyfarth)(Cheney & Seyfarth)
– Females call more for kin than non-Females call more for kin than non-kin presentkin present
– Males call more with female than with Males call more with female than with another maleanother male
– High-rank vervets call more often High-rank vervets call more often than subordinatesthan subordinates
Animal Communication Systems
Vervet Alarm CallsVervet Alarm Calls
Learning is involved in narrowing Learning is involved in narrowing down the referent (the thing being down the referent (the thing being referred to).referred to).
Calls are not involuntary.Calls are not involuntary. However, No evidence of creating However, No evidence of creating
new calls, or combining existing new calls, or combining existing calls to produce new ones.calls to produce new ones.
Referent is immediate, not Referent is immediate, not displaced.displaced.
No evidence of deception.No evidence of deception.
Animal Communication Systems
Japanese and Rhesus macaqueCoos and gruffs
Coo Gruff
Animal Communication Systems
Rhesus macaque mother,Japanese macaque infant
Japanese macaque mother,Rhesus macaque infant
Owren, M. J., J. A. Dieter, R. M. Seyfarth and D. L. Cheney (1992).
Control Children: Mainly COOSFoster Children:
Control Children: COOS & GRUFFSFoster Children:
Animal Communication Systems
Mainly COOS COOS & GRUFFS (mid)
Side RemarkSide Remark
Observation of asymmetry Observation of asymmetry between production and between production and perception.perception.
Cross-fostered monkey produce own Cross-fostered monkey produce own species signal and not foster parents. species signal and not foster parents.
i.e., limited productive vocabulary, yet i.e., limited productive vocabulary, yet can understand others’ calls.can understand others’ calls.
Hockett
Mollusks vs. PrimatesMollusks vs. Primates
How is Language Special
Adapted from Liberman
Mollusks vs. PrimatesMollusks vs. Primates
Primates likely have:Primates likely have: More complex bodies and brainsMore complex bodies and brains Better at learning and problem solving Better at learning and problem solving More complex social structuresMore complex social structures More complex and flexible behavior More complex and flexible behavior Longer livedLonger lived
How is Language Special
Adapted from Liberman
Mollusks vs. PrimatesMollusks vs. Primates Which has the more sophisticated Which has the more sophisticated
communicative system?communicative system?
– Frequency and length of communicative interactions?
– Role of communication in social life?– Complexity of psychological states
resulting from communication? – Information content of communicative
exchanges?– Number of distinct communicative
displays?
How is Language Special
Adapted from Liberman
After 450 million years…After 450 million years…
Cephelopods: 15-35 distinct displays
Non-human primates: 15-35 distinct displays
Mollusks vs. PrimatesMollusks vs. Primates
How is Language Special
http://www.thecephalopodpage.org/cephschool/WhyCephalopodsChangeColor.pdf
Adapted from Liberman
Not just mollusks and non-Not just mollusks and non-human primateshuman primates
For most relatively social adult For most relatively social adult fishes, birds and mammals, the fishes, birds and mammals, the range or repertoire size [of range or repertoire size [of communicative displays] for communicative displays] for different species varies from 15 to different species varies from 15 to 35 displays. 35 displays. -Encyclopedia Britannica,
“Animal Communication”
How is Language Special
Human VocabularyHuman Vocabulary
Wordsmith Shakespeareestimated to have 30,000 wordsAverage educated person: 15,000 words
http://www.rhymezone.com/g/shakespeare/coinages//
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/types-tokens/
How is Language Special
Unique things about human Unique things about human languagelanguage
Big, discrete vocabularyBig, discrete vocabulary10,000-100,000 “words”… or more10,000-100,000 “words”… or more
We can take action to “change others’ minds”We can take action to “change others’ minds”by informing, persuading, deceiving, etc.by informing, persuading, deceiving, etc.
We can communicate about future, past, and present We can communicate about future, past, and present
Recursive compositionalityRecursive compositionalitymaking bigger messages by combining smaller making bigger messages by combining smaller
ones,ones,more complex meanings by combining simpler onesmore complex meanings by combining simpler ones
How is Language Special
Human Language Human Language DesignDesign Duality patterning:Duality patterning: A relatively A relatively
small number of basic elements small number of basic elements to create a larger number of to create a larger number of meaningful elements.meaningful elements.
All languagesAll languages have a systematic have a systematic set of rules for combining the set of rules for combining the former into latter.former into latter.
How is Language Special
Hierarchical structureHierarchical structure
How is Language Special
Linguistic ProductivityLinguistic Productivity
Infinite number of phrases & sentences
Several dozens of (sounds) phonemes
Large but finite* number of words
Smaller amount of morphemes
How is Language Special
Structure Permits Structure Permits CreativityCreativity We are capable of:We are capable of:
– Combining existing Combining existing
phonemesphonemes to form to form
new wordsnew words– ““fax”, “fedex”, “xerox”. fax”, “fedex”, “xerox”. – (Also last names!)(Also last names!)
How is Language Special
Structure Permits Structure Permits CreativityCreativity We are capable of:We are capable of:
– Combining Combining morphemesmorphemes
using existing using existing
morphological rulesmorphological rules– COMPOUNDINGCOMPOUNDING– DERIVATIONALDERIVATIONAL
E.g., re + gift, sensation + alE.g., re + gift, sensation + al– INFLECTIONAL INFLECTIONAL
E.g., shoot E.g., shoot shooting, shoots shooting, shoots
How is Language Special
Structure Permits Structure Permits CreativityCreativity We are capable of:We are capable of:
– Combining existing Combining existing
words/morphemeswords/morphemes to to
form new sentencesform new sentences
How is Language Special
I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe - I believe what I believe is right.
Inflectional Inflectional MorphologyMorphology
English Plural RuleEnglish Plural RuleBucks /s/Bucks /s/
BugsBugs /z//z/
BatchesBatches / /əəs/s/
Longest word in Longest word in English?English? antidisestablishmentarianism (28
letters) floccinaucinihilipilification (29
letters) pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicov
olcanokoniosis (45 letters)
How is Language Special
Longest word in Longest word in English?English? a. sensation b. sensational c. sensationalize d. sensationalization e. sensationalizational f. sensationalizationalize
How is Language Special
Longest word in Longest word in English?English? GrandmaGrandma Great-grandmaGreat-grandma Great-great-grandmaGreat-great-grandma Great-great-great-grandmaGreat-great-great-grandma
……
How is Language Special
Hierarchical structureHierarchical structure
Linguistics 101
PhonemePhoneme Basic perceptual units of which speech is Basic perceptual units of which speech is
composed (Liberman, 1970)composed (Liberman, 1970) Units that are used to build morphemesUnits that are used to build morphemes Languages have a finite inventory of Languages have a finite inventory of
these units.these units. They are not units of meaning. They are not units of meaning. They are contrastive: changing a They are contrastive: changing a
phoneme can change meaning (pat vs phoneme can change meaning (pat vs bat). bat).
Linguistics 101
Phoneme Phoneme combinationscombinations Rule-governed (Rule-governed (PhonotacticPhonotactic))
For English: For English: – ““tl” can occur in the middle of a word: tl” can occur in the middle of a word:
battle, rattlebattle, rattle– ““tl” sounds ok in these made-up tl” sounds ok in these made-up
words: bettle, vottle words: bettle, vottle – But not here: tled, tloo (tl cannot start But not here: tled, tloo (tl cannot start
a word) a word)
For Tlingit (NW Indian language): OK.For Tlingit (NW Indian language): OK.
Linguistics 101
Hierarchical structureHierarchical structure
Linguistics 101
MorphemesMorphemes
Morphemes are the smallest meaningful Morphemes are the smallest meaningful units of language units of language
Free morphemes may stand aloneFree morphemes may stand alone Bound (a.k.a. grammatical) morphemes Bound (a.k.a. grammatical) morphemes
cannotcannot Morphemes combine to form the words of a Morphemes combine to form the words of a
language. language. – Ex: He’s a regifter! (re + gift +er)Ex: He’s a regifter! (re + gift +er)
Combination is rule governed Regifter but Combination is rule governed Regifter but not not – * Reergift, *Erregift, *Ergiftre, *Gifterre, *giftreer.* Reergift, *Erregift, *Ergiftre, *Gifterre, *giftreer.
Linguistics 101
Hierarchical structureHierarchical structure
Linguistics 101
Phrases and SentencesPhrases and Sentences
Words have syntactic categories (S, N, Words have syntactic categories (S, N, V, Adj, etc.)V, Adj, etc.)
The rules of syntax govern how words The rules of syntax govern how words combine into phrases and how phrases combine into phrases and how phrases combine into sentencescombine into sentences– – [The girl][The girl]––*[Girl The]*[Girl The]– [The girl][hit the ball].[The girl][hit the ball].– [hit the ball][the girl].[hit the ball][the girl].
The recursive rules make the linguistic The recursive rules make the linguistic expressions infiniteexpressions infinite
Linguistics 101
LinguisticsLinguistics
Explicit vs. ImplicitExplicit vs. Implicit– Rules of language often implicitRules of language often implicit
Linguistics is a study to make the Linguistics is a study to make the implicit rules explicitimplicit rules explicit
Prescriptive vs. DescriptivePrescriptive vs. Descriptive
Linguistics 101
Implicit Knowledge of Implicit Knowledge of LanguageLanguage Why do we say (3) and (4)?Why do we say (3) and (4)?
(1) I want to sleep
(2) I have to sleep
(3) I wanna sleep
(4) I hafta sleep
“sloppy” or “informal”?
Linguistics 101
Implicit Knowledge of Implicit Knowledge of LanguageLanguage
(5) I want two sheep
(6) I have two sheep
(7) I wanna sheep
(8) I hafta sheep
Are 7 and 8 appropriate sloppy or informal examples of (5) and (6)?
Linguistics 101
Implicit Knowledge of Implicit Knowledge of LanguageLanguage
(4) I have to sleep
(6) I hafta sleep
Linguistics 101
(8) I hafta two sheep
(9) I have to two sheep
This is the rabbit I want to banish. This is the rabbit I want to banish. This is the rabbit I want to vanish. This is the rabbit I want to vanish.
Linguistics 101
This is the rabbit I wanna banish. This is the rabbit I wanna banish. This is the rabbit I wanna vanish. This is the rabbit I wanna vanish.
Linguistics 101
Implicit Knowledge of Implicit Knowledge of LanguageLanguage
Which is grammatical?Which is grammatical? This is the rabbit I want to banish. This is the rabbit I want to banish. This is the rabbit I wanna banish. This is the rabbit I wanna banish.
This is the rabbit I want to vanish.This is the rabbit I want to vanish. This is the rabbit I wanna vanish.This is the rabbit I wanna vanish.
Linguistics 101
Implicit Knowledge of Implicit Knowledge of LanguageLanguage
This is a rabbit I want to visit.This is a rabbit I want to visit.– I want to visit the rabbit.I want to visit the rabbit.– I want the rabbit to visit.I want the rabbit to visit.
This is the rabbit I wanna visit.This is the rabbit I wanna visit.There is a rabbit. I want to visit the rabbit.There is a rabbit. I want to visit the rabbit.There is a rabbit. I want the rabbit to visit.There is a rabbit. I want the rabbit to visit.
Linguistics 101
NEW VERB: VISIT (instead of BANISH or VANISH)
Implicit Knowledge of Implicit Knowledge of LanguageLanguage
Which is grammatical?Which is grammatical? This is the rabbit I want to banish. This is the rabbit I want to banish. This is the rabbit I wanna banish. This is the rabbit I wanna banish.
This is the rabbit I want to vanish.This is the rabbit I want to vanish. This is the rabbit I wanna vanish.This is the rabbit I wanna vanish.
There is a rabbit. I want to banish the rabbit.
There is a rabbit. I want the rabbit to vanish.
Linguistics 101
Linguistics 101
Linguistics 101
Linguistics 101