COMD 2050 Test 1
What was considered to be the key element in Kanzi's language learning?
Kanzi learned not by being taught, but by being exposed to, and observing, a kind of language in use at a very early age. (It was originally being taught to his mother)
Words are developed from imitations of sounds in the environment Also called the "bow-wow" theory
Natural Sound Source
Examples of Pooh-pooh theory
Ouch! Ooh! Ah!
How are vowels different than consonants?
There is no constriction of the air. Where the tongue is placed distinguishes the different sounds- classified by the vertical and horizontal position of the tongue.
In French, the words /bo/ for beau and /bO/ for bon seem to have different vowels. Are these two vowels allophones or phonemes in French?
They are phonemes because the difference in pronunciation changes the meaning.
why are interjections such as Ooh! or Yuck! considered to be unlikely sources of human speech sounds?
They are produced with sudden intakes of breath, which is opposite of ordinary talk. They are emotional reactions that are not otherwise used in speech production.
transfer/exchange of information, conveying a messgae
communication
joining of two separate words to create a new single form ex. backpack
compounding
a change in one phoneme changes the meaning
contrastive property
change in the function of a word; ex. nouns become verbs
conversion
the process whereby a language is passed on from one generation to the next
cultural transmission
[theta] [eth] ex: bath, the
dentals
tongue tip behind upper teeth or between teeth
dentals
use of affixes tacked onto words to create new words
derivation
combination of two vowel sounds
diphthongs
humans can refer to past and future time
displacement
human language is organized at two levels or layers simultaneously
duality
the process of not pronouncing a sound segment that might be present in the deliberately careful pronunciation of a word in isolation
elision
the study of the origin and history of a word
etymology
lack of productivity
fixed reference
tongue tip taps the alveolar ridge briefly ex. butter
flap
airflow restricted, resulting in friction [f] [v] [s] [z] [h]
fricatives
humans have an innate capacity for language
genetic source
tongue is in motion to or from the vowel [w] [j]
glides
"speaking in tongues"
glossolalia
space between the vocal folds closes briefly then released [?]
glottal stop
[h] [?]
glottals
glottis is open and air passes through unchanged
glottals
abbreviations where letters are produced individually
initialism
How are speech sounds consistently represented in written form?
international phonetic alphabet Speech sounds are represented by symbols in brackets
[f] [v]
labiodentals
upper teeth and lower lip
labiodentals
conventional, rule governed communication system (uniquely human)
language
"voice box" contains human vocal folds
larynx
scientific study of language
linguisitics
people who study linguistics. Discover and describe the rules of language
linguists
air flows around the tongue [l] [r]
liquids
two words that differ by one phoneme occurring in the same position ex. bet & bat
minimal pair
a group of words can be differentiated, each one from the others, by changing one phoneme
minimal set
Examples of physical adaptation
teeth: even and upright lips: more flexible mouth: small and connected to nasal cavity tongue: muscular allowing precise movements larynx: "voice box" is lower down
Manipulation and combination of objects, similar to the manipulation and combination of sounds
tool making source
[k] [g] ex. sing
velars
back of tongue and soft palate/velum
velars
What 3 things are used to classify speech (consonant) sounds?
voice, place and manner
When the vocal folds are drawn together, the air from the lungs repeatedly pushes them apart as it passes through, creating a vibration effect. Sounds produced in this way are described as ______
voiced
when the vocal folds are spread apart, the air from the lungs passes between them unimpeded. Sounds produced in this way are described as ___________
voiceless
What makes up the rhyme?
vowel (nucleus) coda
If Sarah could use a gray plastic shape to convey the meaning of the word "red," which property does her "language" seem to have?
Arbitrariness
6 Properties of Human Language
1. Displacement 2. Productivity 3. Reflexive 4. Arbitrariness 5. Duality 6. Cultural Transmission
What are the 7 sources/theories of language?
1. Divine Source 2. Natural Sound Source/Theory 3. Social Interaction Source 4. Pooh-Pooh Theory 5. Physical Adaptation Source 6. Tool-Making Source 7. Genetic Source
Example of natural sound source
All modern languages have some words with pronunciations that seem to echo sounds heard in nature - Onomatopoeia (bang, splash, boom)
Language is given by a higher power
Divine source
Examples of social interaction source
Early humans may have developed a set of grunts, groans, and curses used when lifting, carrying, etc
How did the Gardeners try to show that Washoe was not simply repeating signs made by interacting humans?
She could combine certain words into sentences and even invented some words such as "water bird" for duck.
What kind of evidence is used to support the idea that language is culturally transmitted?
We acquire our first language as children in a culture. An infant born to Korean parents in Korea, but adopted and brought up from birth by English speakers in the US, will have physical characteristics inherited from his natural parents, but will inevitably speak English
Examples of Divine Soure
a.) In the biblical tradition, God created Adam and "whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof" b.) 2 Newborns were ordered by an egyptian pharoh to be raised with goats. They uttered the word "bekos." People believe they were really just imitating the goats
new words formed from other word phrases ex. laser, nasa, scuba
acronyms
combination of a stop and a fricative
affricates
How is sound produced? 3 things
air + vibration + shaping
a set of phones that are all version of one phoneme
allophones
[t] [d] [s] [z] [n] [l] [r]
alveolars
tongue tip touches alveolar ridge (behind upper teeth)
alveolars
no natural or "iconic" relationship between a word and the object it describes
arbitrariness
the study of how speech sounds are made
articulatory phonetics
when two sound segments occur in sequence and some aspect of one segment is taken or "copied" by the other
assimilation
3 coarticulation effects
assimilation nasalization elision
type of reduction that may result in a noun being used as a verb
backformation
[p] [b] [m] [w]
bilabials
both lips
bilabials
joining of two separate forms to create a new form ex. brunch
blending
common source of new words; taking words from other languages
borrowing
multisyllabic word that is reduced to a single form ex. jen for jennifer
clipping
syllable with an onset, nucleus and coda
closed syllable
the process of making one sound almost at the same time as the next sound
coarticulation
least common process of word formation; usual sources are new products or concepts
coinage
7 ways in which new words can enter a language
coinage borrowing blending clipping compounding backformation conversion
air flows out of the nasal cavity when the velum is lowered [n] [m]
nasals
new word
neologism
vowel or vowel like sound
nucleus
example of tool making source
one could grasp 1 rock = make 1 sound à grasp 2 rocks = create other sounds (the contact between the two rocks changes)
3 things that come together to form a syllable
onset nucleus coda
What are the basic elements of a syllable? (2)
onset and rhyme
syllable with just an onset and nucleus
open syllable
tongue near hard palette (roof of mouth)
palatals
[j] ex. yellow
palatlals
longer cavity above the vocal folds. acts as a resonator or increased range and clarity of sounds
pharynx
the different versions of a sound type regularly produced in actual speech
phone
"abstract units" of phonology. they are meaning-distinguishing sounds. *mental representation represented with slash marks //
phonemes
the general study of the characteristics of speech sounds
phonetics
the study of the sound system of a language
phonology
sound combinations that are not permitted for a language
phonotactic constraints
permitted arrangement of sounds
phonotactics
Physical features particularly adapted for speech in humans
physical adaptation source
Speech developed from instinctive sounds people make in emotional circumstances
pooh pooh theory
humans are continually creating new expression by manipulating their linguistic resources to describe new objects and situations
productivity
humans are clearly able to reflect on language and its uses
reflexivity
Group of people having to coordinate a joint effort during a physical task Also called the "yo-he-ho" theory
social interaction source
human vocal communication
speech
airflow stopped briefly then released [p] [b] [t] [d] [k] [g]
stops/ plosives