LING 1010 Study Guide - Final Guide: Nicaraguan Sign Language, Waggle Dance, Cochlear Implant
Final Exam Review
Sign Languages
• Full human languages that are equal in every cognitive way to spoke languages. They are
not necessarily related to the spoken languages used in the same geographic region
• Have distinct phonology, morphology, and syntax, and will be acquired using the known
mechanisms of language acquisition, so they show a critical period. Sign languages show
these
• Because of the critical period, it is important for deaf children to be exposed to sign
language as early as possible. 95% are born to hearing parents, so the hearing population
must understand that sign languages are real human languages and are subject to critical
period effects
• Even with cochlear implants, exposure to a sign language during the critical period boosts
language acquisition success for both the sign language and spoken language
o These are expensive, not always practical
o Do not always work
o Not as good as full hearing, will still be difficult to acquire language fully
Language Death and Birth
• According to the colloquial definition, there are about 7,000 human languages.
o Many are spoken by very few people, the 9 largest account for 44% of the
population
o Over 1500 languages have fewer than 1000 speakers
• Alive - a language is alive if there are living human beings who speak that language
natively
• Dead - a language dies when the last native speaker of that language dies
o Occurs when parents stop teaching their language to their children. This is an issue
of power, not science or linguistics
o Endangered language - don't have a large amount of native speakers, endangered of
dying
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LING 1010 Full Course Notes
Verified Note
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Document Summary
Sign languages: full human languages that are equal in every cognitive way to spoke languages. They are not necessarily related to the spoken languages used in the same geographic region: have distinct phonology, morphology, and syntax, and will be acquired using the known mechanisms of language acquisition, so they show a critical period. Sign languages show these: because of the critical period, it is important for deaf children to be exposed to sign language as early as possible. This is an issue of power, not science or linguistics: endangered language - don"t have a large amount of native speakers, endangered of dying, languages are dying at an unprecedented rate. Some linguists estimate that by the year 2100, over 3000 languages will die (almost 50%) Language genesis - occurs when a group of young children use their innate knowledge to create a new language: ex: recently with nicaraguan sign language, another argument supporting innate knowledge and the critical period.
