Language: A Uniquely Human Instinct Course Readings Language Learning as an Instinct Language: Plausibility Evidence: A Uniquely Human Instinct Language and Other Instincts Evidence: Independence from Intelligence Evidence: The ‘Grammar Gene’ Summary
Language: Course Readings A Uniquely Human Instinct Course Readings Language Learning as an Instinct Plausibility The following readings have been posted to the Moodle Evidence: Language and course site: Other Instincts Evidence: ◮ Language Instinct: Chapter 2 (pp. 12-43) Independence from Intelligence ◮ Language Files: Chapter 8 (pp. 311-315) Evidence: The ‘Grammar Gene’ Summary
Language: Why Study Human Languages? A Uniquely Human Instinct Question from last class: Course Readings Why study human languages? Language Learning as an Answer from last class: Instinct Our ability to use and learn language is actually a Plausibility profound biological mystery : Evidence: Language and Other Instincts ◮ What is the system of rules and expressions (mental Evidence: representations) that underlies out ability to speak and Independence from Intelligence understand a human language? Evidence: The ‘Grammar Gene’ Summary
Language: Why Study Human Languages? A Uniquely Human Instinct Question from last class: Course Readings Why study human languages? Language Learning as an Answer from last class: Instinct Our ability to use and learn language is actually a Plausibility profound biological mystery : Evidence: Language and Other Instincts ◮ What is the system of rules and expressions (mental Evidence: representations) that underlies out ability to speak and Independence from Intelligence understand a human language? Evidence: The ‘Grammar Gene’ Another, Related Answer: Summary Our ability to use and learn (our first) language is a uniquely human instinct . ◮ Studying language is studying something special ... ◮ Studying language is studying something intimately genetically human...
Language: Language, an Instinct ?!? A Uniquely Human Instinct Course Readings Language Learning as an Instinct Plausibility A Natural, Skeptical Reaction: Evidence: Language and Other Instincts ◮ How could language be an instinct ?... Evidence: ◮ I wasn’t born speaking a language; I had to learn it Independence from Intelligence from my parents ... Evidence: The ‘Grammar Gene’ Summary
Language: The Real Proposal: A Uniquely Human Instinct An Instinct to Learn Language Course Readings Language Learning as an Instinct Background Analogy: Birdsong Plausibility ◮ Birds are not born with the ability to sing the song of Evidence: Language and their species. Other Instincts ◮ However, they are born with a very special, species Evidence: Independence specific ability: from Intelligence ◮ the ability (and drive) to learn the song of their Evidence: The ‘Grammar Gene’ species Summary ◮ Since this is an ability of specific bird species, it’s an instinct
Language: The Real Proposal: A Uniquely Human Instinct An Instinct to Learn Language Course Readings The Proposed Analogy: Language Learning as an ◮ People aren’t born with the ability to speak a Instinct Plausibility language. Evidence: ◮ However, they are born with a very special, species Language and Other Instincts specific ability: Evidence: ◮ the ability (and drive) to learn a language Independence from Intelligence Evidence: The ‘Grammar Gene’ Summary
Language: The Real Proposal: A Uniquely Human Instinct An Instinct to Learn Language Course Readings The Proposed Analogy: Language Learning as an ◮ People aren’t born with the ability to speak a Instinct Plausibility language. Evidence: ◮ However, they are born with a very special, species Language and Other Instincts specific ability: Evidence: ◮ the ability (and drive) to learn a language Independence from Intelligence Evidence: The ‘Grammar Gene’ The Proposal (In a Nutshell): Summary ◮ What’s written into our genes is not the ability to speak a particular language (e.g. English). ◮ Rather, it’s the ability (and drive) to learn any human language (as a first language).
Language: But Why Think This? A Uniquely Human Instinct Course Readings Language Learning as an Instinct It’s a cute idea, but why should we think it’s true ? Plausibility Evidence: Language and Other Instincts Evidence: Independence from Intelligence Evidence: The ‘Grammar Gene’ Summary
Language: But Why Think This? A Uniquely Human Instinct Course Readings Language Learning as an Instinct It’s a cute idea, but why should we think it’s true ? Plausibility Evidence: Language and Terminology: Language Acquisition Other Instincts Going from a state of not speaking a language to a state Evidence: Independence of speaking a language. from Intelligence Evidence: The ◮ Linguists don’t call this ‘language learning’, because it’s ‘Grammar Gene’ not clear that it is ‘learning’ (in the same sense that you Summary ‘learn’ general facts about the world).
Language: Well, It’s Plausible A Uniquely Human Instinct Course Readings Language Learning as an Instinct Humans are physically adapted for speech: Plausibility ◮ Voice box placement Evidence: Language and ◮ Specific brain areas for language Other Instincts Evidence: Independence from Intelligence Other kinds of learning is genetically driven (instinctive): Evidence: The ◮ Walking ‘Grammar Gene’ Summary ◮ Eating
Language: Language and Other Instincts A Uniquely Human Instinct Course Readings Language Learning as an Instinct Plausibility Evidence: Language and A More Interesting Argument: Other Instincts Characteristics of Instinctive It seems that language exhibits many of the Behaviors: Uniformity Across Species characteristics of instinctive behaviors. Emergence Before Necessity ‘Automatic’ Emergence Uniform Sequence of Milestones Impotency of Direct Teaching Critical Period Evidence: Independence from Intelligence Evidence: The ‘Grammar Gene’ Summary
Language: Characteristic 1: A Uniquely Human Instinct Uniformity Across Species Course Readings Language Learning as an Instinct Plausibility First Characteristic: Evidence: Language and Instincts are shared by all (healthy) members of the Other Instincts Characteristics of Instinctive species. Behaviors: Uniformity Across Species ◮ All (healthy) humans walk (no matter what their Emergence Before Necessity culture). ‘Automatic’ Emergence Uniform Sequence of Milestones ◮ All (healthy) cardinals sing. Impotency of Direct Teaching Critical Period Evidence: Independence from Intelligence Evidence: The ‘Grammar Gene’ Summary
Language: Characteristic 1: A Uniquely Human Instinct Uniformity Across Species Course Readings Language Learning as an Instinct Language is a behavior that is uniform across all Plausibility human cultures (LING 101) Evidence: Language and Other Instincts ◮ No known human culture has ever lacked language. Characteristics of Instinctive Behaviors: Uniformity Across Species ◮ Societies which are unable to speak/hear Emergence Before Necessity spontaneously invent sign languages. ‘Automatic’ Emergence Uniform Sequence of ◮ All human languages are equally expressive Milestones Impotency of Direct Teaching ◮ There is no (first) language that is unable to express Critical Period everything that is expressible in English. Evidence: Independence from Intelligence Evidence: The ‘Grammar Gene’ Summary
Language: Characteristic 2: A Uniquely Human Instinct Emergence Before Necessity Course Readings Language Learning as an Instinct Plausibility Second Characteristic: Evidence: Instinctive behaviors emerge before they are really Language and Other Instincts needed Characteristics of Instinctive Behaviors: ◮ Humans begin learning to walk when they could still Uniformity Across Species Emergence Before Necessity be carried. ‘Automatic’ Emergence Uniform Sequence of ◮ Birds (Zebra Finches) learn to sing before sexual Milestones Impotency of Direct Teaching maturity. Critical Period Evidence: Independence from Intelligence Evidence: The ‘Grammar Gene’ Summary
Language: Characteristic 2: A Uniquely Human Instinct Emergence Before Necessity Course Readings Language Learning as an Instinct Plausibility Humans begin learning language long before they Evidence: Language and ‘need’ it to communicate. Other Instincts Characteristics of Instinctive Behaviors: Uniformity Across Species Emergence Before ◮ Humans begin learning language in the womb . Necessity ‘Automatic’ Emergence ◮ They acquire full fluency by age four . Uniform Sequence of Milestones Impotency of Direct Teaching Critical Period Evidence: Independence from Intelligence Evidence: The ‘Grammar Gene’ Summary
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