PSY 1100 Chapter Notes - Chapter 9: American Sign Language, Language Acquisition Device, Neanderthal
Document Summary
Syntax- the rules for arranging words and symbols in sentences. Grammar- compromises the entire set of rules for combining symbols and sounds to speak and write a particular language: subject-verb agreement, plurals, and the use of possesives. Human language is unique because it is the only system capable of transmitting abstract ideas. Protolanguage- pre-language; the language of homo erectus and homo neanderthalensis. Increases in the size of human social groups may trigger an increase in brain size. Child"s language development: the ability to understand words develops before the ability to produce words, babies can point to their nose and say the words associated with those actions. Language comprehension occurs in the left hemisphere in wernicke"s area. Language production is associated with the left-hemisphere region called broca"s area. Infants understand language before they start speaking suggesting wernicke"s area develops earlier than broca"s area. Stages of language development: cooing- repeated vowel sounds during the first 6 months.
