Chapter 8

• 1. Language is symbolic
• 2. Semantic ( has meaning)
• 3. Generative (can generate an infinite number of meanings)
• 4. Structured

• Denotative: literal definition
• Connotative: Emotional overtones and secondary meanings

• Semantics is the study of word meanings and combinations
• Syntax is the system of rules defining how we may meaningfully combine words within a language (grammar)

• -Smallest speech units are phonemes
• -The smallest units of meaning are morphemes

• Sounds that modify words' meanings.
• ex) 's, -ed, -ing

Surface structure: the way symbols are combined within a given language. Rules for = syntax

Deep Structure: The underlying meaning of the combined symbols. Rules for = semantics

1. Whole word Recognition. Top down processing. Reading words we already know

2. Phonetic decomposition. Bottom up processing. reading a new word

• Babbling: intentional vocaliztion that lacks specific meaning.
• Cooing: making all the phonemes they can make
• Reduplicative babbling: long streams of syllables
• Conversational babbling: has the syntax of speech and the patterns/tone of language, but still no meaning

holophrases: single word to convey a sentence

• 1. Imitation. Learning by hearing.
• (But language has generativity: children can combine words if they dont know a word...evidence that not all learning of language is just imitation)

2. Nativist. Wired to acquire language (nurture). Language acquisition device: part of brain solely for producing and analyzing language

3. social pragmatics. Meaning is learned via social context

4. General Cognitive processing. Language acquired through general cognitive skills that are used for learning in general. we are hardwired to learn

the tendency to falsely attribute human qualities to nonhuman beings

The tendency to think that human beings have nothing in common with animals

linguistic determinism: the view that all thinking is represented linguistically. language causes or determines a world view.

linguistic relativity: characteristics of language shape our thought processes. Language influences particular manners or acting or thinking

Collections of objects that share core properties

A hypothetically typical member of a category

mental model stored in memory and used to make assumptions about situations and events we encounter.

we tend to look for evidence that confirms what we believe, rather than evidence that will disprove it

any method that guarantees a solution to a problem

• guiding principles or rules of thumb that are used to solve problems
• Does NOT guarantee a solution

involves basing judements on the ease with which relevant instances can be retrieved from memory

tendency to perceive an item only in terms of its most common use

persistence to use problem solving strategies that have worked in the past

people's belief about the probability of an outcome changes depending on how the alternative outcomes are distributed