Question 1

When using syntactic bootstrapping,a child

Accepted Answer

Syntactic bootstrapping is the process by which children use the grammatical structure of a sentence to infer the meaning of an unfamiliar word. It involves using the placement of the word in the sentence, along with the sentence's grammatical structure, to determine the word's meaning. This is why option A is the correct answer. Option B is not correct because it describes telegraphic speech, which is not the same thing as syntactic bootstrapping. Option C is incorrect because it describes an error in grammar, rather than the process of using grammar to understand new words. Option D is incorrect because it describes the ability to translate between languages, rather than the ability to use grammar to understand individual words.

Question 2

Which is the typical order of linguistic attainment (from earliest to latest)?

Accepted Answer

- Cooing typically occurs in the first few months of life.
- Babbling usually begins around 6 months of age.
- Holophrase is the use of one word to convey a whole sentence or thought, and typically appears around 12-18 months of age.
- Telegraphic speech, which involves using short phrases or sentences with key words, typically appears around 24-30 months of age. 
Therefore, the typical order of linguistic attainment is cooing, babbling, holophrase, and telegraphic speech.

Question 3

Which statement is true?

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that at five months of age, both deaf and hearing children from all cultures make similar sounds, such as cooing and babbling. This indicates that there is a biological basis for language development, which is not dependent on hearing ability or cultural background. Option B is incorrect because while there may be some differences in the types of sounds produced by deaf and hearing children, they still produce similar vocalizations at this age. Option C is incorrect because while cultural differences may affect language development later on, they do not have a significant impact on the types of sounds produced at five months. Option D is incorrect because even deaf children produce some vocalizations, such as crying and laughter.

Question 4

Though 18-month-old Yolanda knows the word "car," she only uses it when referring to her mother's sedan,not any other vehicle.Yolanda's linguistic limitation is best described as involving

Accepted Answer

Yolanda's limitation of only using the word "car" to refer to her mother's sedan is an example of underextension, which occurs when a child uses a word in a restricted manner and does not apply it to all appropriate objects or situations.

Question 5

One-year-old Daniel's ability to learn the meaning of words has been greatly enhanced by the fact that his dad,Leo,often points and repeatedly names objects that are around him.Leo's teaching style best reflects the process of

Accepted Answer

Joint attention is the process in which two individuals share a common focus on an object, with both understanding that the other is paying attention to the same object. Leo's teaching style of pointing and naming objects repeatedly around Daniel indicates joint attention. This helps Daniel learn the meaning and names of the objects around him.

Question 6

Nadine's father says,"Look at that ferret with that man." She has never before heard the term "ferret," but based on its placement in her dad's statement,she is sure that it refers to the animal the man has on a leash.Nadine's ability to ascertain the meaning of the word "ferret" was accomplished using

Accepted Answer

Nadine was able to use syntactic bootstrapping to determine the meaning of the word "ferret" based on its placement within her father's sentence. This means that she used her knowledge of the structure and syntactic rules of language to infer the meaning of the unfamiliar word. Overextension, telegraphic speech, and emergent literacy are not relevant to this particular scenario.

Question 7

The semantic rules for forming sentences are referred to as

Accepted Answer

Syntax refers to the rules governing the structure of sentences, including word order, parts of speech, and how words and phrases relate to each other. Phonology is the study of the sounds used in a particular language. Prosody refers to the patterns of stress and intonation in speech. Pragmatics refers to how language is used in context to communicate effectively. None of these options specifically refer to the rules for forming sentences.

Question 8

Joel reaches up to Daddy with waving outstretched arms and says "Up!" meaning "Daddy,pick me up!" This is an example of

Accepted Answer

This is an example of a holophrase, where a single word or phrase is used to convey a complete thought or idea. In this case, Joel is using "Up!" to communicate his desire for his father to pick him up.

Question 9

Six-week-old Beck is lying in his crib and making a melodic sound that might be described as an "eeeeee." What is Beck doing?

Accepted Answer

At six weeks old, Beck is cooing, which is a precursor to babbling. Cooing is a melodic sound made by infants that often involves vowel sounds like "eeeeee" and is a way for them to communicate and explore their vocal range. Telegraphing refers to expressing a message through nonverbal cues, and holophrasing is the use of a single word to convey a complete thought or sentence, neither of which apply in this scenario.

Question 10

Which word consists of three morphemes?

Accepted Answer

"Pre-" is a prefix meaning "before," "-view-" is a root meaning "to see," and "-ing" is a suffix indicating the present participle tense. Therefore, the word "previewing" consists of three morphemes.

Question 11

Linguistic overextension occurs when a person

Accepted Answer

Linguistic overextension occurs when a person uses one word to describe too many objects beyond its usual meaning. For example, a child may call all four-legged animals "dogs" or refer to all fruits as "apples." This shows that the child hasn't fully mastered the proper use of words and their meanings yet.

Question 12

Two-year-old Tracy calls every four-wheeled vehicle she sees "truck." This is an example of

Accepted Answer

Overextension is when a child uses a word to describe a wider range of objects than it typically represents. In this case, Tracy is using the word "truck" to refer to any four-wheeled vehicle, which is an overextension of the word.

Question 13

Which aspect of speech involves the melody,intonation,or timing of a word production?

Accepted Answer

Prosody involves the melody, intonation, and timing of word production. Semantics relates to the meaning of the words, Syntax deals with the arrangement of words to form sentences, and Morphology is concerned with the internal structure of words.

Question 14

_____ are the basic units of meaning in a language.

Accepted Answer

Morphemes are the smallest units of meaning in a language. Phonemes are the smallest units of sound. Syntax is the arrangement of words in a sentence. Intonation refers to the rise and fall of pitch in speech.

Question 15

Which linguistic concept is best defined as an understanding of the rules concerning the appropriate use of language in different social context?

Accepted Answer

Pragmatics refers to the study of the rules governing the use of language in different social contexts. It includes an understanding of how the meaning of words and phrases can vary based on the context in which they are used, as well as an understanding of social cues and nonverbal communication. Prosody refers to the rhythm, stress, and intonation of speech, holophrasing is the use of one-word utterances to convey a complete thought, and syntax refers to the rules governing the way in which words are combined to form phrases and sentences.

Question 16

In a holophrase,

Accepted Answer

A holophrase is a type of one-word sentence used by children in early language development. In a holophrase, a single word is used to convey the meaning of an entire sentence. For example, a child may say "up" to mean "pick me up" or "I want to be picked up."

Question 17

How many of the following ("d," "da," "dada," "daddy")are phonemes?

Accepted Answer

A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in a language that can distinguish meaning. In the list provided, only "d" qualifies as a phoneme, as "da," "dada," and "daddy" are combinations of phonemes rather than individual phonemes themselves.

Question 18

When Jasmine says,"That song makes me blue." Her friend Rice says,"You don't look like a different color to me." Rice's failure to understand that in certain context the word "blue" in English means depressed illustrates a lack of _____ understanding.

Accepted Answer

Rice's failure to understand the meaning of "blue" in the context of Jasmine's statement shows a lack of semantic understanding, which refers to the meaning of words and phrases in specific contexts.

Question 19

Six-month-old Emir is sitting in his car seat and repeatedly saying "na-na-na-na." What is Emir doing?

Accepted Answer

Emir is babbling, which is a normal stage of speech development in infants where they repeat syllables and sounds to practice making different sounds and to communicate with their caregivers.

Question 20

Over- and underextension are best associated with _____ errors.

Accepted Answer

Overextension and underextension refer to errors in semantic understanding, specifically in the way that children generalize or restrict the meaning of words. Phonological, morphological, and syntactical errors have more to do with the form or structure of language, rather than meaning.

Quiz 10: Language and Education