1. PARADIGMAS LINGUISTICOS SECOND SEMESTER 2010 DR. FARIAS
VIDEO: LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
1. Some of the questions that are discussed in the video are:
a. How do children learn their language?
b. How do children acquire language without seeming to learn it?
c. How do children use grammar effortlessly?
d. Chomsky's position regarding language acquisition.
e. Is language genetically built in, coded in the DNA, or is it learned by
exposure?
f. What's the role of analogy and imitation?
g. How do children learn vocabulary?
h. What role does the concept of category play?
i. What are the mutual exclusivity and the whole object assumptions?
j. What are language universals?
3. Some examples are provided to discuss the acquisition of grammar:
When did the boy say he hurt himself?
When did the boy say how he hurt himself?
What do you think Cookie monster eats?
I painted the red house. I saw the red house
I painted the house red. I saw the house red.****
John grows carrots in his garden.
John grows.
Niko eats.
Comment these sentences in connection to what they show about language
acquisition.
4. Prepare a summary of the main ideas in the video:
a) Describe the most interesting section
b) Identify problems that are not yet solved.