Language Development
Language Components and Stages
Language
Language is our agreed-upon systems of spoken, written, or signed words, and the ways we combine them to communicate meaning.
Did you know…
Parts of Language
01
01
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05
Fundamental concepts of all languages include these 5 elements
02
Phonemes
Grammar
Semantics
Syntex
Morphemes
Phonemes
Definition
Example
Phonemes are the smallest units of sound in a language that can distinguish one word from another.
In English, the word "bat" has three phonemes: /b/, /æ/, and /t/. Changing any one of these phonemes can produce a different word, such as "cat" (/k/, /æ/, /t/).
Phonemes
There are 44 phonemes in English and 869 phonemes in all different human languages.
In the Khoisan languages of Africa, there are different types of click sounds, that represent different phonemes.
Can you identify how many phonemes are in these words?
ATE
HI
CHIN
GEESE
DRIVE
FOOT
KNEE
GLOBE
2
Morphemes
Definition
Example
The word "unhappiness" has three morphemes: "un-" (a prefix meaning "not"), "happy" (the root word), and "-ness" (a suffix that turns an adjective into a noun).
Morphemes are the smallest units of meaning in a language. They can be words or parts of words (such as prefixes or suffixes) that contribute to a word’s meaning.
Can you break these words into their Morphemes?
PREEXISTING
PRE EXIST ING
DOGS
REPLAYING
UNQUESTIONABLY
SUBTERRANEAN
Semantics
Definition
Example
Semantics is the study of meaning in language. It involves understanding how words, phrases, and sentences convey meaning.
The sentence "The cat sat on the mat" has a clear semantic meaning, which can be understood even though each individual word contributes a different aspect to the overall meaning.
Semantics
Examples
Understanding the meaning of words and sentences is a crucial aspect of language and communication. Sometimes the same words or sentences can have multiple meanings depending on how it is interpreted. Recognizing and resolving these ambiguities is an important skill in both everyday communication and academic study.
For example, the simple word "on" can have many meanings, such as: on call, on the roof, on cloud nine, on edge, on fire, on purpose, on demand, on top, or on the phone.
The sentence "The chicken is ready to eat." could be interpreted as the chicken (animal) is prepared to eat food or as the chicken (cooked) is ready for someone to eat.
Can you identify the 2 meanings of these ambiguous sentences?
She saw the man with the telescope.
Meaning 1:
Meaning 2:
He gave her cat food.
Meaning 1:
Meaning 2:
The police chased the robber with a car.
Meaning 1:
Meaning 2:
The teacher told the student that he was wrong.
Meaning 1:
Meaning 2:
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Grammar and Syntax
Definition
Example
Grammar is the set of rules that govern how words are combined to form sentences in a language. It includes syntax, which is the aspect of grammar that specifies the rules for arranging words into sentences and phrases.
In English, the basic word order for a sentence is Subject-Verb-Object (SVO), such as "She (subject) reads (verb) books (object)."
A syntactically correct sentence in English follows the order "The dog chased the cat," whereas "Chased the cat the dog" is incorrect.
Rearrange the words to form grammatically correct sentences
dog / the / quickly / brown / the / over / fence / jumped
goes / every / to / school / she / day
during / their / vacation / traveled / they / Europe / to
new / I / phone / bought / a
You probably notice that even if you haven't explicitly memorized all the grammar rules, you likely have an innate sense of how to arrange words correctly. The ability to innately absorb grammar rules is strong when we are young, but becomes more difficult as we get older, which is why we often struggle with the grammar rules of languages learned later in life.
Syntax Activity
In English, adjectives are always in this order:
Opinion-Size-Age-Shape-Color-Origin-Material-Purpose Noun. So you will notice that if you place the adjectives in a different order, that the sentence sounds odd.
For example, which sounds better: a green great dragon or a great green dragon?
Try making your own sentence, first putting it in the correct order and then putting it in an incorrect order to compare how the two sentences sound.
Stages of Language Learning
02
Receptive Language
An infant's receptive language refers to their ability to understand and process language before they can speak it. From a very young age, infants begin to recognize and respond to the sounds and rhythms of their native language. They can distinguish between different phonemes, the smallest units of sound, and start to understand common words and simple commands even before they can produce them themselves.
By around six months, infants typically recognize their own names and familiar words like "mommy" and "daddy." This early stage of language development is crucial as it lays the foundation for later expressive language skills, where the child begins to use words and sentences to communicate their thoughts and needs.
Do you think the “Four Seasons Baby” is demonstrating receptive language?
The Babbling Stage
Early Babbling Stage
Later Babbling Stage
Example of the Babbling Stage
One-Word Stage
From about one to two years old, children begin to use single words to convey whole sentences or complex ideas. These words are often nouns and represent objects, people, or actions in their immediate environment.
Ex: “Doggy!” might be used to express the idea: “Look at the dog over there!”
Two-Word Stage
By 2 years old, most children enter the two-word stage. They start uttering words in telegraphic speech, which is when a child speaks like a telegram, using mostly nouns and verbs.
For example:
See Puppy
Complete Sentences
Moving out of the two word stage, children quickly begin uttering longer phrases. By elementary school, they understand complex sentences and grammar. Their vocabulary expands rapidly, and they begin to understand and use different sentence structures, including questions, negatives, and compound sentences. At this point, they have learned 80% of all the language they will ever need.
The Critical Period
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The Critical Period of Language Development
In language development there is a specific window of time during early childhood when the human brain is exceptionally receptive to acquiring language. This period, which extends from birth until around the age of seven, is crucial for normal language development. During the critical period, children can effortlessly absorb and learn the complexities of language through natural interaction with caregivers and their environment. Neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to form new connections, is at its peak during this time, making language learning more intuitive and effective.
Research indicates that children who miss the critical period for language learning may have permanent deficits in their linguistic abilities. They often struggle with syntax, grammar, and pronunciation, and may never achieve full fluency. This critical period also affects learning a second language. While older learners can still achieve proficiency, they often face more challenges compared to younger learners who are still within the critical period.
Case Study: Genie
The case of Genie, a girl who was severely isolated and deprived of language exposure until she was discovered at the age of 13, provides a stark example of these effects. Despite intensive efforts to teach her language after her rescue, Genie never fully developed normal language abilities. She learned some vocabulary and could communicate basic needs, but she struggled with grammar and could not form coherent sentences or understand complex linguistic structures.
Thinking and Language
04
Linguistic Determinism & Linguistic Relativism
Linguistic determinism and linguistic relativism are two related concepts that explore the relationship between language and thought.
Linguistic Determinism
Linguistic determinism, often associated with the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, posits that the language we speak determines the way we think and perceive the world. According to this view, speakers of different languages experience the world in fundamentally different ways because their languages impose distinct categories and frameworks on their thoughts.
Linguistic Relativism
Linguistic relativism suggests a more moderate view, proposing that while language influences thought, it does not rigidly determine it. Instead, language shapes habitual thought patterns and affects how we process and interpret information, but it allows for cognitive flexibility and the possibility of cross-linguistic understanding.
Examples that support Linguistic Determinism
German: Der Schlüssel (Masculine)
Spanish speakers described the key as “golden, intricate, little, shiny, tiny, lovely”
German speakers described the key as “jagged, rough, hard, heavy, metal, serrated, useful”
Spanish: La Clave (Feminine)
Spanish speakers described the key as “big, dangerous, long, strong, sturdy, towering”
German speakers described the key as “beautiful, elegant, fragile, peaceful, pretty, slender”
Spanish: El Puente (Masculine)
German: Die Brücke (Feminine)