Question 1

Which component of language below is CORRECTLY matched to its description?
A) pragmatics - social communication
B) syntax - speech sounds
C) semantics - word order
D) phoneme - meaning

Accepted Answer

Pragmatics refers to the social aspects of language, such as how language is used in different contexts and the hidden meanings behind what is said.

Question 2

You are creating a language development timeline for a class presentation. Along the top of a display board, you write the following ages in sequence: 3 months 6 months 1 year 2 years
How should you label these ages, from youngest to oldest?
A) prevocal learning babbling first words telegraphic speech
B) babbling prevocal learning first words telegraphic speech
C) babbling first words telegraphic speech pragmatic speech
D) prevocal learning first words telegraphic speech syntactic competence

Accepted Answer

The correct sequence from youngest to oldest in language development is: prevocal learning (cooing and going sounds without producing actual words, typically around 3 months), babbling (repeating syllables, such as "ba-ba," around 6 months), first words (simple words around 1 year), and telegraphic speech (two-word sentences, such as "want cookie," around 2 years).

Question 3

"Sophie kitty," Tara says, when her aunt asks her whether the stuffed animal belongs to her or to her sister. Tara's reply exemplifies _________ speech.
A) telegraphic
B) holographic
C) idiographic
D) agrammatic

Accepted Answer

Tara's response is telegraphic because it consists of only two words that convey the essential information. Telegrafic speech is typical of young children who are learning to communicate and use only the most critical words necessary to express themselves.

Question 4

How many morphemes does the word firefighters contain?
A) 1
B) 2
C) 4
D) 9

Accepted Answer

"fire" is a free morpheme (cannot be broken down into smaller meaningful units), "fight" is also a free morpheme, "-er" is a bound morpheme (meaningful only when attached to a free morpheme), and "-s" is another bound morpheme. Therefore, there are four morphemes in "firefighters".

Question 5

Dr. Salim is a linguist, studying the rules guiding the order of words and phrases in several of the world's languages. Dr. Salim is a(n) ___________.
A) syntactician
B) semanticist
C) phonologist
D) morphologist

Accepted Answer

A syntactician studies the rules governing the order of words and phrases in a language, which is exactly what Dr. Salim is doing. Semanticists study meaning, phonologists study sounds, and morphologists study the smallest units of meaning (morphemes).

Question 6

Dorian is 1-1/2 years old; Constance is 3. Dorian's vocabulary probably contains about _________ words. Constance's vocabulary contains about _______ words.
A) 50; 500
B) 100; 500
C) 50; 1000
D) 100; 1000

Accepted Answer

At 1-1/2 years old, Dorian's vocabulary is still developing and is likely to contain around 50 words. 
At 3 years old, Constance's vocabulary has had more time to develop and is likely to contain around 1000 words. Therefore, the best choice is C with Dorian's vocabulary containing about 50 words and Constance's vocabulary containing about 1000 words.

Question 7

A time window in which certain influences are necessary for appropriate brain development is called a(n) _________ period. A time window in which the brain is susceptible to certain influences is called a(n) _________.
A) critical; sensitive period
B) critical; critical period as well
C) sensitive; sensitive period as well
D) sensitive; critical period

Accepted Answer

The first blank requires a term that refers to a specific time period in which certain influences are necessary for appropriate brain development. This is called a critical period. The second blank requires a term that refers to a specific time period in which the brain is susceptible to certain influences. This is called a sensitive period. Therefore, the best choice is A.

Question 8

Your text reports the case of a girl named Genie, who was exposed to virtually no language from the age of 20 months until the age of 13. In what way does Genie's case offer support for the notion of a critical period in language acquisition?
A) With intensive instruction, Genie acquired a sizeable vocabulary after the age of 13; moreover, she eventually mastered the rules of syntax.
B) Even with intensive instruction, Genie acquired only a very small vocabulary after the age of 13; furthermore, she never mastered the complexities of language.
C) Once she was no longer isolated, Genie acquired a sizeable vocabulary and eventually mastered the rules of syntax, even without intensive formal instruction.
D) Genie's case is irrelevant to the notion of a critical period.

Accepted Answer

Genie's case supports the notion of a critical period in language acquisition because, despite intensive instruction, she was unable to fully acquire language skills after the age of 13, suggesting that there is a critical period for language development that, once passed, makes it difficult to achieve full language proficiency.

Question 9

Grammar is to meaning as ________ is to ________.
A) semantics; syntax
B) syntax; semantics
C) syntax; phoneme
D) phoneme; semantics

Accepted Answer

Syntax refers to the structure of language (similar to grammar), while semantics deals with meaning.

Question 10

Phonology is the study of:
A) nonverbal communication
B) meaning
C) word order
D) speech sounds

Accepted Answer

Phonology is the study of speech sounds, including their distribution, patterns, and relationships within a language. It is concerned with the way sounds are used to create meaning in language.

Question 11

Which component of language is CORRECTLY matched with its usual representation in written language?
A) syntax -- syllable or word
B) phoneme -- letter
C) morpheme -- sentence
D) semantics -- letter

Accepted Answer

Phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in a language, which is usually represented by a letter in written language.

Question 12

Tina is 6 months old; Vincenzo is 1 year old; and Wayne is 2 years old. Which alternative below CORRECTLY pairs each child with the appropriate language development stage or phenomenon?
A) Tina - prevocal learning; Vincenzo - babbling; Wayne - first words
B) Tina - babbling; Vincenzo - telegraphic speech; Wayne - first words
C) Tina - prevocal learning; Vincenzo - first words; Wayne - telegraphic speech
D) Tina - babbling; Vincenzo - first words; Wayne - telegraphic speech

Accepted Answer

At 6 months old, Tina is in the babbling stage of language development, where she is making sounds and experimenting with different combinations of sounds. At 1 year old, Vincenzo is in the stage of language development where he is starting to say his first words, so he would not be in the stage of telegraphic speech yet. Wayne, at 2 years old, is likely in the stage of telegraphic speech, where he is using short, two-word phrases to communicate. Therefore, the correct pairing is Tina - babbling, Vincenzo - first words, and Wayne - telegraphic speech, which is only presented in option D.

Question 13

What is the relationship, if any, between language comprehension and language production among young children in the "first-words" stage?
A) There is no systematic relationship between language comprehension and language production at this point: It varies from child to child.
B) Language comprehension generally exceeds language production at this stage.
C) Language comprehension generally lags behind language production at this stage.
D) Language comprehension ability is generally equivalent to language production ability at this point.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that, on average, children's language comprehension skills are more advanced than their language production skills during the "first words" stage. This means that children are better at understanding and processing language than they are at using it to communicate effectively. However, there can also be significant individual differences among children in terms of the relative balance between their comprehension and production abilities during this stage.

Question 14

Which of the following facts is CORRECTLY tagged with the extent to which it offers support for the learning theory approach to language development?
A) The more that parents speak to their young children, the more proficient the children become in language use - discredits learning theory approach
B) Children are reinforced not only when they use language correctly, but also when they use it incorrectly - supports learning theory approach
C) Psychologists have discovered specific genetic and brain mechanisms supporting language acquisition - irrelevant to learning theory approach
D) Children make overregularization errors when formal grammar instruction begins -- consistent with learning theory approach

Accepted Answer

Choice D states that children make overregularization errors when formal grammar instruction begins, which is consistent with the learning theory approach's emphasis on the role of reinforcement and feedback in language acquisition. Choices A, B, and C do not necessarily support or discredit the learning theory approach.

Question 15

Approximately how many phonemes are found in English?
A) 26
B) 150
C) 40
D) an infinite number

Accepted Answer

There are approximately 40 phonemes in English. Phonemes are the smallest unit of sound that can distinguish words in a language. However, the actual number may vary based on accents and dialects.

Question 16

Which of the following alternatives best expresses the relationships among nonverbal communication, pragmatics, and gesturing?
A) The terms are synonymous and used interchangeably.
B) Nonverbal communication includes pragmatics and gesturing.
C) Pragmatics includes nonverbal communication, which is synonymous with gesturing.
D) Pragmatics includes nonverbal communication and gesturing.

Accepted Answer

Pragmatics refers to the use of language in context and includes nonverbal communication as well as gesturing. Therefore, D is the best choice as it correctly identifies that pragmatics encompasses both nonverbal communication and gesturing. Option A is incorrect as the terms are not synonymous and cannot be used interchangeably. Option B is too limited as it suggests that nonverbal communication only includes pragmatics and gesturing. Option C is incorrect as nonverbal communication is not synonymous with gesturing, it includes other forms of nonverbal communication as well.

Question 17

Antwan is 3. Bryce is 4. Which alternative best describes these boys' pragmatic and syntactic development?
A) Both boys display some syntactic sophistication. Bryce, though, has also developed some pragmatic skill.
B) Both boys display some pragmatic sophistication. Bryce, though, has also acquired many of the rules of grammar.
C) Both boys display sophisticated pragmatic and syntactic use of language.
D) Each of these boys has acquired only the rudiments of either pragmatics or syntax.

Accepted Answer

At their ages of 3 and 4, both boys are still in the early stages of language development. While they may display some degree of syntactic sophistication, it is more likely that they are still acquiring the rules of grammar. However, they are likely to have developed some pragmatic skill, such as taking turns in conversation and using language to make requests or express their needs. Therefore, option B is the best choice.

Question 18

A team of researchers computes correlation coefficients between family income and the number of words children hear each hour in the home, and between family income and the ratio of affirmations to prohibitions that children hear. What sorts of coefficients are the researchers likely to find?
A) They should find a positive correlation between family income and the number of words children hear, but a near-zero correlation between family income and the ratio of affirmations to prohibitions that children hear.
B) They should find a near-zero correlation between family income and the number of words children hear, but a positive correlation between family income and the ratio of affirmations to prohibitions that children hear.
C) They should find near-zero correlations between family income and both the number of words children hear and the ratio of affirmations to prohibitions that they hear.
D) They should find positive correlations between family income and both the number of words children hear and the ratio of affirmations to prohibitions that they hear.

Accepted Answer

It is likely that the researchers will find positive correlations between family income and both the number of words children hear and the ratio of affirmations to prohibitions that they hear. This is because parents with higher incomes tend to have better education and more resources to provide enriching environments for their children, including access to books, educational materials, and activities. Additionally, parents with higher incomes may be more likely to provide positive reinforcement and praise to their children compared to using negative discipline techniques. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect a positive correlation between family income and both variables.

Question 19

The biological approach to language development is associated with:
A) B. F. Skinner
B) Benjamin Whorf
C) Noam Chomsky
D) Amos Tversky

Accepted Answer

The biological approach to language development emphasizes that language is innate and biologically determined, and that children are born with an innate capacity to acquire language. This approach is associated with Noam Chomsky, a linguist who proposed the theory of universal grammar, which suggests that there are innate structures in the human brain that facilitate language acquisition. Skinner is associated with the behaviorist approach, which suggests that language is acquired through reinforcement and conditioning, while Whorf is associated with the linguistic relativity hypothesis, which suggests that language shapes the way we think and perceive the world. Amos Tversky, on the other hand, was a cognitive psychologist known for his work on decision making and cognitive biases.

Question 20

In written language, letters most closely represent __________, whereas sentences may be said to reflect __________.
A) syntax; semantics
B) syntax; phonemes
C) phonemes; syntax
D) phonemes; semantics

Accepted Answer

Letters represent phonemes, which are the smallest units of sound in a word, and sentences reflect syntax, which refers to the rules governing the structure of sentences in a language. Semantics, on the other hand, refers to the meaning conveyed by words and sentences.

Quiz 9: Language and Thought

Which component of language below is CORRECTLY matched to its description?

You are creating a language development timeline for a class presentation. Along the top of a display board, you write the following ages in sequence: 3 months 6 months 1 year 2 years How should you label these ages, from youngest to oldest?

"Sophie kitty," Tara says, when her aunt asks her whether the stuffed animal belongs to her or to her sister. Tara's reply exemplifies _________ speech.

How many morphemes does the word firefighters contain?

Dr. Salim is a linguist, studying the rules guiding the order of words and phrases in several of the world's languages. Dr. Salim is a(n) ___________.

Dorian is 1-1/2 years old; Constance is 3. Dorian's vocabulary probably contains about ___ words. Constance's vocabulary contains about _ words.

A time window in which certain influences are necessary for appropriate brain development is called a(n) _ period. A time window in which the brain is susceptible to certain influences is called a(n) _.

Your text reports the case of a girl named Genie, who was exposed to virtually no language from the age of 20 months until the age of 13. In what way does Genie's case offer support for the notion of a critical period in language acquisition?

Grammar is to meaning as is to .

Phonology is the study of:

Which component of language is CORRECTLY matched with its usual representation in written language?

Tina is 6 months old; Vincenzo is 1 year old; and Wayne is 2 years old. Which alternative below CORRECTLY pairs each child with the appropriate language development stage or phenomenon?

What is the relationship, if any, between language comprehension and language production among young children in the "first-words" stage?

Which of the following facts is CORRECTLY tagged with the extent to which it offers support for the learning theory approach to language development?

Approximately how many phonemes are found in English?

Which of the following alternatives best expresses the relationships among nonverbal communication, pragmatics, and gesturing?

Antwan is 3. Bryce is 4. Which alternative best describes these boys' pragmatic and syntactic development?

A team of researchers computes correlation coefficients between family income and the number of words children hear each hour in the home, and between family income and the ratio of affirmations to prohibitions that children hear. What sorts of coefficients are the researchers likely to find?

The biological approach to language development is associated with:

In written language, letters most closely represent , whereas sentences may be said to reflect .