Features of Language 1

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Features of Language - 1

• Structured (syntax)
• Rules for putting words together - grammar
• The cat is on the mat.
• NOT Cat the is mat the on.

2
Features of Language -2

• Meaning (semantics)
• Morphemes smallest unit of meaning
• Ex pear vs pears (pear-s)
• Syntax (word order) contributes to semantics
• The mat is on the cat vs the cat is on the mat.

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Features of Language - 3

• Referential
• Arbitrary sounds or signs used to refer to real
  objects and events
• Cultural agreement to referents
• Time present, past, future
• Ex displacement using language to refer to
  events or objects not in the present
• Alternative realities - imagination

4
Features of Language - 4

• Creative (generative)
• Most utterances are unique
• Able to create an infinite number of utterances
• Ex
• The cat is on the mat
• On the mat is the cat
• The mat is on the cat
• Is the cat on the mat?

5
Features of Language - 5

• Interpersonal
• Takes place in context physical setting,
  audience
• Principles of communication include common
  knowledge e.g.,
• Community membership
• Co-presence for actions
• Perceptual co-presence

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Return to Miscommunication
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Learning Language
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Child Language (Briefly)

• Extract meaningful units (very early)
• Babbling starts at 4 months
• ga da ga ba (consonant-vowel pairs)
• First word about 1 year of age
• Holophrastic Stage
• Putting words together 18 months to 2 years of
  age
• Telegraphic Stage

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• Complete sentences 30-36 months
• Further developments - 3-5 years
• Passive sentences
• Past tense
• Form plurals
• Create questions
• Use of negation
• Create compound sentences
• Even further developments 5 years
• Interpersonal aspects of language use

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Primate Language (not communication)
Why is this an interesting question?

• American Sign Language ASL
• Symbol Systems
• Gorillas
• Chimps

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ASL - I

• Washoe (Gardner Gardner, 1969)
• First four signs
• Come-gimme
• More
• Up
• Sweet
• Generalized signs
• more for more play or food
• open for open door, soda, stuck zipper

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• Novel strings
• water-bird (for swan)
• sweet-water (for Coke)
• You me banana me you (to request a banana)

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ASL II

• Koko (Patterson, 1980)

• Novel combinations
• white tiger for zebra
• Displacement example
• P What did you do to P?
• K Bite.
• P You admit it? (she didnt admit it earlier)
• K Sorry bite scratch.
• K Wrong bite.
• P Why bite?
• K Because mad.
• (a few minutes later)
• P Why mad?
• K Dont know

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Symbols - I

• Sarah (Premack, 1983)
• Colored chips on a board
• Conditioned to learn symbol-object pairings
• Strings
• Mary give apple Sarah

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Symbols II Yerkish

• Kanzi (Savage-Rumbaugh, 1984)
• Learning via observation
• Also understands spoken English
• Majority of requests are for food

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Summary
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Do These Primates Possess Language?

• Yes

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Do These Primates Possess Language?

• No

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Experimental/Methodological Issues