Aula 6 e 7- What is language - language acquisition- learning

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1.	What	is	language?
A	system	bound	by	rules.
Behavior	contingent	on	stimuli.
A	virtually	infinite	list	of	words/expressions	that	may	be	freely	combined.
A	hierarchically	organized	mechanism.
A	generative	system	of	communication. A	system	of	communication	used	by	a	particular	community.
Something	recursive.
A	virtually	limitless	(scope	of	expression)	representational	system.
Something	we	all	learn.
A	system	that	varies	depending	on	different	writing	methods.
Something	that	happens.
1.	What	is	language?
language	=	human	faculty
•	Hierarchically	organized;
• Generative;
•	Recursive;
•	Virtually	limitless	(scope	of	expression).
2.	How	do	we	study	language?
2.	How	do	we	study	language?
First,	we	can	look	at	data	to	see	what	is	licit	in	the	language:
a. Did	you	say	your	father	works		[where] ?
a'. [Where] did	you	say	your	father	works	________	 ?
b. Você	disse	que	seu	pai	trabalha		[onde] ?
b'. [Onde]	você	disse	que	seu	pai	trabalha	_______	 ?
c. A	Maria	riu	depois	que	o	João	fez		[o	quê]	?
c'. [O	que]	a Maria	riu	depois	que	o	João	fez	_______	 ?
3.	What	do	we	know	about	acquisition?
A	reasonable	theory	of	language	acquisition	must	encompass	the	following	facts:
•	Every	child	acquires	(at	least)	one
language	quite rapidly;
• Language	acquisition	is	universal;
• Despite	differences	in	experience,
there	is	uniformity;
• Children	acquiring	a	language	go
through	the	same	steps (following
virtually	the	same	patterns).
LIGHTBOWN,	Patsy	M.	&	SPADA,	Nina.	(2009)	How	Languages	are	Learned.	Oxford:	London.	p.	26.
3.	What	do	we	know	about	acquisition?
Some	intuitive	hypotheses	about	how	languages	are	acquired:
1- It	depends	on	trial	and	error;
2- It	involves	active	correction	of
sentences,	pronunciation,	etc.;
3- It	always	hinges	on	imitation	by
the	child;
4- Use	of	graded	language	is	crucial.
LIGHTBOWN,	Patsy	M.	&	SPADA,	Nina.	(2009)	How	Languages	are	Learned.	Oxford:	London.	p.	18.
4.	How	does	acquisition	take	place?
INPUT
Language Acquisition Device (LAD)
OUTPUT
Phonetics:	segmentals,	suprasegmentals,	intonation…
Semantics:	reference,	implication,	entailment…
Morphology:	plural,	verb	forms,	Case...
Syntax:	directionality,	agreement,	movement…
4.	How	does	acquisition	take	place?
From	the	Series	"The	Baby	Human:	Geniuses	in	Diapers"