Question 1

When linguists and psychologists say that language is "generative," they mean that it is:

Accepted Answer

The term "generative" in the context of language refers to the ability to produce an infinite number of sentences and ideas from a finite set of rules and words, highlighting the creative aspect of language use.

Question 2

Which of the following facts is appropriately matched with the extent to which it offers support for the learning theory approach to language acquisition

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following facts is appropriately...

Question 3

A man is using a plumbing snake to clear a clogged drain and a three-year-old English-speaking child is watching. The child is asked, "See what this man is doing Can you show me sebbing" How will the child most likely respond

Accepted Answer

Children often imitate actions they observe when they do not understand a verbal request, especially if the word is unfamiliar. In this context, "sebbing" is a nonsensical word, so the child is likely to mimic the man's actions with the plumbing snake as a way of responding.

Question 4

A "nurture" approach to language development is associated with:

Accepted Answer

B.F. Skinner is associated with the nurture approach to language development, emphasizing the role of environment and learning through reinforcement.

Question 5

Which of the following defines surface structure

Accepted Answer

Surface structure refers to how an idea is expressed in language, including the specific words and syntax used.

Question 6

In a study, four-day-old French infants habituate to the sound of French speech. The speech then switches from French to English. How should the babies respond

Accepted Answer

Infants have the ability to discriminate between the sounds of different languages. When the language switches from French to English, the infants should show renewed interest in the new sounds, regardless of who is speaking. This indicates their ability to detect the change in language.

Question 7

Baby Ezra is babbling, producing intentional but meaningless vocalizations. How old is Ezra

Accepted Answer

Babbling typically begins around 6 to 9 months of age, making 7 months (choice B) the most accurate answer for when a baby like Ezra would start producing intentional but meaningless vocalizations.

Question 8

By the age of five, children possess a vocabulary of about how many words

Accepted Answer

By the age of five, most children have developed a vocabulary of about 5,000 words. This rapid vocabulary expansion is part of the broader cognitive development occurring during early childhood.

Question 9

Dorian is 2 years old; Constance is 5. Dorian's vocabulary probably contains _________ words; Constance's, _______ words.

Accepted Answer

At 2 years old, children typically have a vocabulary of several hundred words, while by 5 years old, children often have a vocabulary of several thousand words.

Question 10

Which of the following clues is a youngster most likely to use to discover the meaning of the question "Can you see me fiffining"

Accepted Answer

The syntax, or the structure of the sentence, provides context clues that can help a youngster infer the meaning of an unfamiliar word like "fiffining" by understanding its role in the sentence.

Question 11

Which of the following statements best expresses the relationship between the development of language production and that of language comprehension

Accepted Answer

The development of language comprehension typically precedes language production in children. This means that children generally understand language and can interpret verbal communication before they are able to produce language themselves.

Question 12

The nativist approach to language acquisition is associated with:

Accepted Answer

Noam Chomsky is associated with the nativist approach to language acquisition, which posits that humans are born with an innate ability to learn language.

Question 13

The "nurture" approach argues that language acquisition is driven by:

Accepted Answer

The "nurture" approach to language acquisition emphasizes the role of environmental factors, including conditioning and reinforcement processes, in learning language. This contrasts with the "nature" approach, which focuses on innate mechanisms such as an internal language acquisition device or universal grammar.

Question 14

Three-year-old Fantasia refers to all pet mammals as "puppies" whether they are adult dogs, puppies, cats, hamsters, or rabbits. Fantasia is displaying:

Accepted Answer

Fantasia is displaying overextension, which is a common language development phenomenon where children apply a word in a broader context than is appropriate. In this case, she uses "puppies" to refer to all pet mammals, not just young dogs.

Question 15

According to the nativist approach, the key mechanisms driving language acquisition include:

Accepted Answer

The nativist approach, proposed by Noam Chomsky, suggests that language acquisition is driven by innate mechanisms such as a universal grammar and a language-acquisition device.

Question 16

Let's say a child uses his own dog's name - Rusty - to refer to his neighbor's dog. This most clearly illustrates:

Accepted Answer

This is an example of overextension, a common language development phenomenon where children apply a word in a broader context than is appropriate. In this case, the child is using the specific name "Rusty" for all dogs, not just his own.

Question 17

Which of the following defines deep structure

Accepted Answer

Deep structure refers to the underlying meaning of an idea as expressed in a universal grammar, according to Noam Chomsky's theories on linguistics. It contrasts with surface structure, which is how an idea is actually expressed in specific sentences.

Question 18

Mr. Daniels continues to speak fluently and grammatically following a brain injury. However, what he says makes absolutely no sense. Mrs. Clemens has trouble speaking fluently though she has no problem understanding the speech of others. Mr. Daniels appears to be suffering from ___________. Mrs. Clemens is suffering from _________.

Accepted Answer

Mr. Daniels is exhibiting symptoms of Wernicke's aphasia, characterized by fluent but nonsensical speech, while Mrs. Clemens shows signs of Broca's aphasia, marked by difficulty in producing speech but with preserved comprehension.

Question 19

Which of the following defines aphasia

Accepted Answer

Aphasia is a condition characterized by the severe impairment of language functions, which can affect the ability to speak, understand spoken language, read, and write, often due to brain damage.

Question 20

When does actual talking begin, on average, in children

Accepted Answer

Actual talking, which includes the use of meaningful words, typically begins around 12 months of age. This is when many children start to say their first words.

Quiz 9: Intelligence and Language