...heories about how young children acquire and develop language Young children become amazingly proficient communicators during the first three years of life. As the Birth to Three Matters framework points out, they use 'the hundred languages of children' - body language (including facial expressions and dance); sign language (their own and family inventions as well as an officially recognised sign language); painting, drawing and mark-making; and oral expression. They have been acutely active listeners since their days in the womb, where they learned to recognise the speech patterns, tunes and tones of the languages used in their home contexts. Language theory research informs us that young children's language development is influenced by many factors, including having sensitive adults and older children around them who will listen and attend to their expressions and who will use and model appropriate language themselves. This has been called 'Motherese' by researchers led by Cathy Snow. Children's babbling during their first year includes the sounds of every world language and 'crib talk' demonstrates their intense interest in the sounds they hear around them. Although children with a hearing loss will stop babbling, if they grow up in a home with parents who can sign, they will follow the same patterns of development using their first language - signing - and will sign their first word at around the same age that hearing children speak theirs. Between two and three years...
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...Theories Of First Language Acquisition English Language Essay Imagine a blank template, a white sheet of paper, thats how human being starts off. From a crying baby in a cradle, to babbling, to simple single words, slowly progressing into two-words, then finally a complete sentence, ever wonder how one acquires the ability to produce the language? Linguists throughout the ages have tried to find out how does one ACQUIRE a language, is it a deep structure as claimed by Kimball? Or is it an innate ability, a build-in human capacity propagated by Chomsky? Various theories have arose since language studies came to fore, and the ability to acquire language has interested various parties since the dawn of man. From the dunes of Egypt, Psammeticus, the Pharaoh during the 7 th century BC, believed language was inborn and that children isolated from birth from any linguistic influence would develop the language they had been born with. Fast forward to the 15th century,King James of Scotland performed a similar experiment; the children were reported to have spoken good Hebrew. Akbar, a 16th century Mogul emperor of India, desired to learn whether language was innate or acquired through exposure to the speech of adults. He believed that language was learned by people listening to each other and therefore a child could not develop language alone. So he ordered a house built for two infants and stationed a mute nurse to care for them. The children did not acquire speech, which seemed to...
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...Various theories are put forward to describe second language acquisition (SLA). The following theories represent serious thinking over the past century about the way a person acquires or learns a second language. The first theory will be Behaviourism. In mid-century, Burrhus Frederic Skinner developed behaviourist theory which predicted that any human behaviour could be learned through a process of stimulus, response, and positive or negative reinforcement (S-R-R). This S-R-R process is to make the desired behaviour become a habit that can be performed spontaneously. According to behaviourists, this process also can be applied into language learning. A concrete example of behaviourism applied directly to higher-level training, as a result of Bandura’ (1977) work, is behaviour. The terms are used interchangeably. This uses techniques such as "goal setting" and "self-reinforcement" to help people acquire the characteristics of a competent role model. Next, the second theory will be Language Acquisition Device (LAD) which developed by Noam Chomsky. Chomsky found out that there is an innate ability in every people which enable them to acquire and use language and this ability is known as LAD. Chomsky was not as concerned with the actual language being spoken as with the unspoken but understood rules that made the utterances appropriate, correct to native speakers. He argued that the stages of development that are required for children to develop their cognitive abilities in other...
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...Theories of work organisation have gone through considerable changes in the last couple of decades. Describe what you believe to be the main changes and evaluate their importance in the changing world of business. (You may choose a particular industry or occupation to illustrate your argument). Introduction to the feminist movement: In an constantly evolving society, theories of work organisations have undergone drastic changes over the past few decades (Tosi 2009). Organisational theory developed from the work of Taylor and Weber (Reed & Ross-Smith 1994) along with the management theory of Mintzberg (Bartram 2005). The application of these concepts needed to change to reflect the desires and expectations of the current working demographic. The ‘highly visible’ (Stanley & Wise 2000) feminist or women’s movements, particularly in developed countries throughout the past century, have allowed women to enjoy substantially increased levels of equality and the ability to enter male-dominated occupations which their predecessors could not. Modern philosophers such as Foucault and de Saussure (Kelemen & Rumens 2008) have been considering one facet of ‘poststructuralism’ (Tosi 2009, p. 263), leading to a new stream of though on the implications of language interpretation. Modern poststructuralist feminists such as McNay and Weedon (as cited in Kelemen & Rumens 2008) have been debating ways in which to instigate and enhance a shift from a male-centric organisation compositions towards...
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...RUNNING HEAD: Language-Acquisition Theories Language-Acquisition Theories Kayla Whitacre ESL 433N 10/10/2013 Language-Acquisition Theories Language acquisition is crucial for all students- especially for students whose native language is not English. The English language contains words that have many different and unrelated definitions, and many phrases that, when taken literally, are confusing and frustrating. In order for those students to be able to flourish in their academic careers, they must be able to collectively achieve reading comprehension as well as an understanding of figurative language. "Bridging Two Worlds: Reading Comprehension, Figurative Language Instruction, and the English-Language Learner" is an article about bringing reading comprehension and figurative language instruction together in the minds of English Language Learners (ELLs). However, that is not all that this article is about. It is also about bridging the ELL’s understanding of their native language with the English language in order for the ELL student to succeed in their language acquisition both socially and academically. The best way for this to happen is for the teacher to teach explicit instruction to the ELL student. In explicit or direct instruction, the instruction is teacher centered and highly structured (Palmer & Brooks, 2004). The teacher must first model the thinking process that is required in order to comprehend the words and phrases and also the procedures involved...
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...When taking a look at the Expectancy Violations Theory, it is defined as an individual’s reaction to the behavior of their peers that was viewed as unexpected, and can be used to violate the expectations of another. People all have spatial differences, which are called proxemics. I believe that proxemics helps us understand that there is a difference of appropriate and inappropriate touching. Space is the core connection of the Expectancy Violation Theory. Space has relevance to Expectation Violation Theory not only because the theory is rooted in proxemics, but also because it has direct application to the distances previously discussed (West & Turner, 2010). Let’s explore how individual “personal space” within conversations varies with cultures, friends, and strangers as it is predicted and or explained by the expectancy violations theory. The texts states according to Burgoon, can be defined as an invisible, variable volume of space surrounding an individual which defines that individual’s preferred distance from others”.(p130) With that said anthropologist Edward Hall proposed that an individual’s surrounding space is divided into four different ranges of special distances called Proxemics Zones. These zones are as follows: Intimate distance, Personal distance, Social distance, and Public distance. Approriate behavior is associated within each of the proxemics zones. Let’s focus and elaborate on one specific proxemics, the intimate distance. Why? My opinion...
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...Jamie Smith ‘The theory of language games does not solve the problems of religious language.’ How far do you agree? (20) Wittgenstein originally supported logical positivists, but then came to reject the verification principle. His argument is that the meanings of words are in their use, the function they perform as agreed on by the group using them. He states that each activity has its own language and shows this in his toolbox analogy the items in the toolbox (hammers etc) are all tools, but without knowing the specific use and function of the tools, their understanding is superficial. He argues that this can be seen in religious language. Language games exist in all forms of human activity and life, but people not in the game will be unable to understand the use of this language. If people don’t understand the language then it will seem meaningless. Religious belief has its own language and a nonbeliever will find that because they aren't in the game it is meaningless to them. An outsider can’t claim that because they don’t understand the language or the game doesn’t make it any less meaningful, it just doesn’t make sense to them. I agree with the statement to certain extent. Wittgenstein argues there is a system for which religious believers can use language as a valid form of evidence towards their faith and God, and language games supports this. However, this approach doesn't help people understand what others are saying. A person (for example...
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...Critical Theory concerns conflicting logics- a social concern versus a language one. In the pathways of developments in theory, there are two diverging points- one, the obsession with language, communication systems and, two the focus on social construction. On one hand, Critical Theory of society emerged to deal with those aspects of social reality which Marx and his followers downplayed and neglected. It takes a specialized sense, describing the work of the Frankfurt School. On the other hand, it is concerned with the dominance of language to explain all phenomena. The term ‘Critical Theory’ was coined in 1930s. The concept of language and culture being linked has been discussed for a long period. However, in the twentieth century, Critical theory marks a linguistic turn; a whole new approach to language, literature and interpretation. During this period one witnessed the rise of an astonishing number of theories that used language as a basis for thinking about every kind of human experience. There were ‘new’ ways of looking at psychology, sexuality, philosophy, politics, technology— and, of course, literature. The major theories that spawned in critical theory ranged from formalism, structuralism, semiotics, psychoanalysis, and deconstruction, to the responses and critiques posed by race and gender theory, cultural studies, post colonialism, and new media. At the very crux of literary theory is language. Books are made of language; the question 20th century critical theory posed...
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...Methods * Categories | * Communicative Language Teaching | The Grammar-Translation Method | * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Theory of Language * * * * * * * * * * * * * *...
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...THEORIES ON THE ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF LANGUAGE Research Report for WR227 Jeremy Byrd Winter Term, 2013 Table of Contents Introduction 3 The Emergence of Language 3 The Theories of Johann Gottfried Herder 4 Pre-Language 4 Sound and Language 5 Theory of Divine Inspiration 5 Criticism of Herder's Work 6 The Gestural Theory 6 Motor Activity and Language 7 The Mirror Neuron System Theory 7 Theory of Sound Symbolism 8 Synesthesia 8 Discontinuity Theories 9 Summary 9 Works Cited 10 Introduction The origin of human language is a mystery which has baffled scholars and scientists for thousands of years. It can only be speculated how language began and evolved; the lack of direct evidence suggesting that it is perhaps a riddle that cannot be solved (Deacon 7). Yet this has not stopped many various theories from emerging over the years, speculations ranging from wild guesses to educated, scientific deductions. According to prominent linguist Eric Heinz Lenneberg, theories surrounding the origin of language are categorized into two main groups: continuity theories and discontinuity theories (Hill 134). Continuity theories hold that language was formed through a long process of evolution. Discontinuity theories are based on the belief that language is too complex to have evolved out of natural systems and is the result of a significant evolutionary jump which took place relatively abruptly. On the side of continuity theories...
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...ISSN 1798-4769 Journal of Language Teaching and Research, Vol. 1, No. 5, pp. 682-684, September 2010 © 2010 ACADEMY PUBLISHER Manufactured in Finland. doi:10.4304/jltr.1.5.682-684 Interlanguage Pragmatics Theory and Its Implications for Foreign Language Qian Huang Foreign Language Teaching Department, Dezhou University, Dezhou 253023, China Email:qqh@dzu.edu.cn Abstract—The major purpose of college English teaching is to cultivate and develop student’s pragmatic competence. Interlanguage pragmatics is a new interdisciplinary branch of study based on the theories of pragmatics and second language acquisition which has direct guide significance for foreign language teaching. This paper firstly introduces the theoretical models of the two theories and then focuses on the implications for foreign language teaching. Index Terms— interlanguage pragmatics, pragmatics theory, SLA theory, implications I. INTRODUCTION In 1969, the psychological linguists Selinker in his paper "Language Transfer" pointed out that when people in different countries and regions have communicate in second Language, language often appears with some native Language and relevant, and with this two kinds of pragmatic styles of Interlanguage totally different, this is "the Interlanguage" (Interlanguage). In Selinker view, the former study of interlanguage study was just the grammar system study. Therefore, the study of interlanguage was only limited from speech phonemes, lexical, syntactic to semantic etc...
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...ORIGIN OF LANGUAGE It is an intriguing question, to which we may never have a complete answer: How did we get from animal vocalization (barks, howls, calls...) to human language? Animals often make use of signs, which point to what they represent, but they don’t use symbols, which are arbitrary and conventional. Examples of signs include sniffles as a sign of an on-coming cold, clouds as a sign of rain, or a scent as a sign of territory. Symbols include things like the words we use. Dog, Hund, chien, cane, perro -- these are symbols that refer to the creature so named, yet each one contains nothing in it that in anyway indicates that creature. In addition, language is a system of symbols, with several levels of organization, at least phonetics (the sounds), syntax (the grammar), and semantics (the meanings). So when did language begin? At the very beginnings of the genus Homo, perhaps 4 or 5 million years ago? Before that? Or with the advent of modern man, Cro-magnon, some 125,000 years ago? Did the neanderthal speak? We don’t know. There are many theories about the origins of language. Many of these have traditional amusing names (invented by Max Müller and George Romanes a century ago), and I will create a couple more where needed. 1. The mama theory. Language began with the easiest syllables attached to the most significant objects. 2. The ta-ta theory. Sir Richard Paget, influenced by Darwin, believed that body movement preceded language. Language began as...
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...Scientific monogenesis: The Mother Tongue theory. Theories of monogenesis do not necessarily derive from religious belief. Many modern scholars believe in a theory of monogenesis that has come to be called the Mother Tongue Theory. This theory holds that one original language spoken by a single group of Homo sapiens perhaps as early as 150 thousand years ago gave rise to all human languages spoken on the Earth today. As humans colonized various continents, this original mother tongue diverged through time to form the numerous languages spoken today. Since many scientists believe that the first fully modern humans appeared in Africa, the mother tongue theory is connected with a more general theory of human origin known as the Out of Africa theory. Currently, the theory of evolutionary monogenesis tends to be favored by a group of linguists working in the United States. Regardless of the origin of language, the fact remains that there are over 5,000 mutually unintelligible forms of human speech used on Earth today. And, although many are radically different from one another in structure--the differences are superficial since each and every one of these languages can be used creatively. Languages do not differ in terms of their creative potential but rather in terms of the level upon which particular distinctions are realized in each particular language. What is expressed concisely in one language requires a phrase in another language. (Examples of aspect and evidentiality;...
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...“What is language?” One way of thinking about the problem is to assume that language is like an orchestra. It is composed of many parts that intricately work together to provide a unified sound. Just as there are sections in the orchestra (the strings, the brass, the wing instruments, and the percussion), there are components of language in sounds, meanings, words, grammar, and rules for how one uses each of these parts in culturally appropriate ways (Salkind, 2002). Language is also one of the most complicated behaviors where we humans are engaging as a species. In 2002, Salkind states that children have spoken their first words, and grasps at least 50 words by the time they can walk. He also states that by the time children can run they can now use...
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...The role of theory in research Division for Postgraduate Studies (DPGS) Post-graduate Enrolment and Throughput Program Dr. Christopher E. Sunday Outline Some definitions of ‘theory’. Some characteristics of ‘theory’. Theories vs. hypotheses. How to evaluate the quality of a theory or explanation. The dynamic relationship between theory and research. Deductive theory. Inductive theory. Example of theories relevant to a particular research question. Theories and findings related to second language learning. The Behaviourist Approach The Cognitive Approach Linguistic Universals Social Models The Humanist Approach Some definitions of ‘theory’ Theory is a model or framework for observation and understanding, which shapes both what we see and how we see it. Theory allows the researcher to make links between the abstract and the concrete; the theoretical and the empirical; thought statements and observational statements etc. Theory is a generalised statement that asserts a connection between two or more types of phenomena – any generalised explanatory principle. Theory is a system of interconnected abstractions or ideas that condenses and organises knowledge about the world. Theory explains and predicts the relationship between variables. Some characteristics of ‘theory’ Theory guides research and organises its ideas. The analogy of bricks lying around haphazardly...
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