Question 1

Children take advantage of ______ in figuring out the particular grammar of their mother tongue.

Accepted Answer

Children rely on the constraints of their mother tongue, such as the order in which words are arranged, to figure out the specific grammar rules of their language.

Question 2

Modern nativist theorists essentially propose that

Accepted Answer

Modern nativist theorists propose that children possess a language instinct, which is an innate ability to learn language. This theory suggests that certain aspects of language are hard-wired into the brain and that children are biologically predisposed to acquire language. This view is in contrast to the behavioral view that language is learned through imitation and reinforcement.

Question 3

Proponents of _______ essentially argue that children are born with a broad theory of language that they modify in accordance with the speech they hear growing up.

Accepted Answer

Nativist theories propose that language is innate, and that children are born with a universal grammar that enables them to learn the rules of any language they are exposed to.

Question 4

Most researchers today

Accepted Answer

The empiricist position is that all knowledge is derived from experience. Most researchers today do not take this position, as they believe that some knowledge is innate.

Question 5

Some experts suggest that the first humans to use rudimentary language lived about

Accepted Answer

The answer of Some experts suggest that the first humans...

Question 6

All of the following are sources of evidence for a sensitive period for language acquisition except that

Accepted Answer

Option D is not a source of evidence for a sensitive period for language acquisition, as it refers to a specific case of brain damage affecting language acquisition ability and not a general pattern that can indicate a sensitive period. The other three options all suggest that the timing of language exposure is critical for successful language acquisition, which is a key characteristic of a sensitive period.

Question 7

All of the following are true of the part of the brain called the grammar center except

Accepted Answer

The grammar center of the brain is involved in processing syntax and is considered a domain-specific neural system, meaning it specializes in understanding the structure of language. However, it is not solely activated for tasks involving short-term verbal memory; this function involves broader cognitive processes and other areas of the brain beyond just the grammar center.

Question 8

Who proposed that children learn not only words, but also grammar, via the mechanisms of operant and classical conditioning?

Accepted Answer

Skinner proposed that children learn not only words, but also grammar, via the mechanisms of operant and classical conditioning. He believed that children learn grammatical rules through reinforcement of correct forms and correction of errors.

Question 9

Which of the following is not true of the acquisition f language of all children throughout the world?

Accepted Answer

Not all children throughout the world know that the subject of a sentence has to be explicitly stated. This is often dependent on the structure of the language they are learning. For example, in Mandarin Chinese, the subject of a sentence can be implied and does not need to be explicitly stated.

Question 10

Chomsky proposed that children are born with a specialized "mental organ," the language acquisition device (LAD), which allows them to

Accepted Answer

Chomsky proposed that the LAD is responsible for the child's ability to compare the structure of the language they hear to their innate grammar and make modifications to learn the specific language spoken around them. This process is known as language acquisition. Option A is incorrect as babies are born with the potential to learn any language, but not necessarily the ability to understand it immediately. Option B is incorrect as learning a language involves much more than just pragmatics. Option D is incomplete, as the child does not just develop expertise, but rather acquires the specific language through the use of their LAD.

Question 11

Lenneberg's position that language is based in biology, not in learning, was based on the ideas that language is all of the following except that

Accepted Answer

Lenneberg's position was that language is biologically based and not solely learned like other abilities such as riding a bike or playing an instrument. Therefore, option D is the only statement that does not align with his ideas.

Question 12

Parameters refer to aspects of a grammar that

Accepted Answer

Parameters in grammar refer to aspects that vary across languages, allowing for differences and distinctions between them.

Question 13

How people actually use language in a social context is called

Accepted Answer

Pragmatics is the study of how people use language in social contexts. It includes understanding the intentions behind the words, how context affects meaning, and how nonverbal communication can affect interpretation.

Question 14

In which of the following ways does human language not differ from the communication systems of other species?

Accepted Answer

The answer of In which of the following ways does...

Question 15

Some evidence for universal grammar comes from research demonstrating that children invent real languages when exposed to the not-quite-real languages that adults around them speak, called

Accepted Answer

Pidgins are simplified languages that develop as a means of communication between speakers of different native languages. When children are exposed to pidgins, they often create a more complex and fully developed language, known as a creole, which supports the idea of an innate universal grammar.

Question 16

Researchers have shown that the side of the brain that controls babbling

Accepted Answer

The side of the brain that controls babbling in infants is the same side that controls language in later life, indicating early development of language-specific brain functions.

Question 17

Damage to Broca's area, located in the frontal lobes, usually results in problems with

Accepted Answer

Broca's area is responsible for speech production, so damage to this area would result in difficulty producing speech or language.

Question 18

Universal grammar refers to

Accepted Answer

Universal grammar refers to the basic grammatical rules that typify all languages. It is the idea that humans are born with an innate understanding of grammar that allows them to learn and use any language they are exposed to. This concept was proposed by linguist Noam Chomsky.

Question 19

When the language areas of the left hemisphere are damaged early in life,

Accepted Answer

When the language areas of the left hemisphere are damaged early in life, other areas of the brain can take over the language function of the damaged areas. This is due to the brain's plasticity, or ability to reorganize and adapt. While cognition damage is possible, it is not a guaranteed outcome. It is also not true that there is little hope for the child's speech to ever develop normally, as language therapy can often help improve language skills even in cases of brain damage.

Question 20

The actual sounds that speakers produce are called

Accepted Answer

Phonology is the study of the sound system of a language, including the patterns of phonemes (the minimal units of sound) and how they interact in different contexts. Therefore, the actual sounds that speakers produce would fall under the realm of phonology.

Quiz 9: Language Development