PSYC 1020H Chapter 8: PSYC 1020H Study Guide 8
21 Jan 2016
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Document Summary
A language consists of symbols that convey meaning, plus rules for combining those symbols, that can be used to generate an infinite variety of messages. Basic sounds are combined into units with meaning, which are combined into words. Words are combined into phrases, which are combined into sentences. The smallest speech unit in a language that can be distinguished perceptually. Morphemes are the smallest units of meaning in a language. There are approximately 50,000 english morphemes, which include root words as well as prefixes and suffixes. Semantics is the area of language concerned with understanding the meaning of words and word combinations. Syntax is a system of rules that specify how words can be arranged into sentences. For example: a syntax for sentences is that they must have both a noun phrase and a verb phrase. Research doesn"t support the assumption that bilingualism has a negative effect on language development.
