This document discusses language and its acquisition. It describes Broca's area and Wernicke's area, which are involved in language processing and production. It then covers the stages of language acquisition in children, including babbling, one-word, and telegraphic speech stages. Theories on how language is learned, such as social learning theory and Chomsky's nativist theory, are presented. The concept of linguistic relativity and whether animals use language are also briefly discussed.

1. Language
A means of communication.

3. Broca's Area Wernicke's Area
Functions:
•Speech Production
•Facial Neuron Control
•Language Processing
‍Location:
Directionally, Broca's area is located in the
lower portion of the left frontal lobe.
Functions:
•Language Comprehension
•Semantic Processing
•Language Recognition
•Language Interpretation
‍Location:
Wernicke's area is located in the left
temporal lobe, posterior to the primary
auditory complex.

4. Language
A means of communication.

5. Language can be…..
auditory, visual, or tactile

6. All languages contain….
Phonemes
• The smallest units of
sound in a language.
• English has about 44
phonemes.
Morphemes
• The smallest unit of
meaningful sound.
• Can be words like a or
but.
• Can also be parts of
words like prefixes or
suffixes…”ed” at the
end of a word means
past tense.
How many
phonemes
does platypus
have?

7. Grammar
• The rules of a
language.
• Syntax: the order
of words in a
language.

8. Language Acquisition
Stages that we learn
language…
1. Babbling Stage
2. Holophrastic Stage (one
word stage)
3. Telegraphic Speech
Stage
• After the telegraphic
stage we get
overgeneralization.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxtLhgzntg8

9. How do we learn language?

12. Social Learning Theory
• B.F. Skinner from the
Behaviorist School
• Baby may imitate a
parent.
 If they are reinforced
they keep saying the
word.
 If they are punished,
they stop saying the
word.

13. Chomsky’s Theory
(Nativist Theory)
• We learn language
too quickly for it to
be through
reinforcement and
punishment.
• Inborn universal
language acquisition
device
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=3gU-B0-
DCKI&index=20&list=PLfoJWSBAwZA
xpXAHjV6blIEBJWNSuvZv5

14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSFPgDuyv6E

15. Whorf’s Linguistic Relativity
• The idea that
language determines
the way we think.
• The Hopi tribe has
no past tense in
their language.
• Whorf says they
rarely think of the
past.

16. Do animals use language?