新编简明英语语言学教程 第二版 戴炜栋10 Language Acquisition

Cognitive development in child language development 1) Language development is dependent on both the concepts children form about the world and what they feel stimulated to communicate at the early and later stages of their language development. (the acquisition of perfect tense) 2) The cognitive factors determine how the child makes sense of the linguistic system himself instead of what meanings the child perceives and expresses. (P. 146 the acquisition of negative form)
Theories of child language acquisition A behaviorist (行为主义者）view of language acquisition (Skinners)
An innatist （语法天生主义者） view of language acquisition (Chomsky)
Grammatical development 1) Telegraphic speech 2) Complete sentences Pragmatic development
Atypical development
Atypical or abnormal language development occurs due to trauma or injury. Atypical language development includes: Hearing impairment (听觉障碍） Mental retardation （智力障碍） Autism （自闭症） Stuttering （结巴） Aphasia （失语症） Dyslexia（读写困难） Dysgraphia（书写困难）
An interactionist view of language acquisition
The interactionist view holds that language develops as a result of the complex interplay between the human characteristics of the child and the environment in which the child develops. Integrated with the innatist view, the interactionist further claims that the modified language which is suitable for the child’s capability is crucial in his language acquisition. (motherese 保姆式语言)
In behaviorist approach, language environment plays a major role in providing both language models to be imitated and necessary feedbacks.
The innatist view emphasizes more on children’s internal processing of the language items to be learnt. The environment functions as a stimulus that triggers and activates the pre-equipped UG to process the materials provided by the linguistic environment around the children. The interactionist view calls for the quality of the language samples available in the linguistic environment, only when the language is modified and adjusted to the level of children’s comprehension, do they process and internalize the language items.
Critical Period Hypothesis (CPH)
---- Eric Lenneberg argues that the LAD (Language Acquisition Device), like other biological functions, works successfully only when it is stimulated at the right time ---- a specific and limited time period for language acquisition. The strong version of CPH suggests that children must acquire their first language by puberty (青春期） or they will never be able to learn from subsequent exposure. The weak version holds that language learning will be more difficult and incomplete after puberty. (Support in Victor’s and Genie’s cases)
Stages in child language development
Phonological development
Vocabulary development 1) Under-extension (a bird isn’t an animal） 2) Over-extension (calling all male adults daddy)
An innatist view of language acqe innatist view of language acquisition, human beings are biologically programmed for language and that the language develops in the child just as other biological functions such as walking.
An interactionist （互动主义者） view of language acquisition
A behaviorist view of language acquisition
Traditional behaviorists view language as behavior and believe that language learning is simply a matter of imitation and habit formation. Imitation Recognition Reinforcement a child imitates the sounds people recognize the child’s attempts people reinforce the attempts by responding differently The inadequacy of behaviorist view lies in explaining how children acquire complex language system.
Language environment & the critical period hypothesis
Two important factors: the linguistic environment children are exposed to and the age they start to learn the language.( P.147 Victor 12; Genie 13.5)
Chapter 10 Language acquisition
Language acquisition----refers to the child’s acquisition of his mother tongue, i.e. how the child comes to understand and speak the language of his community.