LANGUAGE THINKING AND REASONING CH 8 Why did language form and how does it work Is it easy Think about how easily we can produce complex language Infants can acquire language o o Nested structures Artificial Intelligence Computers Cleverbots o Reproducing human language however lacks evolution When and why did language form Essentially when the homo species evolved Why o o To reference objects in the environment albeit concrete or abstract Social and Emotional reasons group formation o o o Early human groups Capable of language Capacity of about 200 Language requires large learning period Experience based Language improves reproductive fitness o Advantages Communication of complex ideas Coordinates social interaction Assists in complex activities How did language evolve Grooming behavior hypothesis Mother Child interactions Gestures Mirror Neurons Recursion o Repeating things in a similar way THE FEATURES OF LANGUAGE Phonemes categories of sounds our vocal apparatus produces phonetics Morphemes smallest meaningful units of speech convey information about semantics meanings Syntax grammatical rules that govern how words are composed into meaningful strings grammar Extralinguistic information Communication that isn t vocal ie Gestures Language structure Syntax structure Phrase structure Language is arbitrary
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