Early Childhood Language: Interesting!

 

Host Philip Zimbardo takes us through the stages of human language development, from age zero to age five. This video gives insight into psycholinguistic studies of language development, through innate LAD (language acquisition device), social interactions, universal stages/processes, and rules of grammar and syntax.
         The first stage of human language development, as described by Professor Gleason of Boston University, is decoding. She refers to Chompsky’s LAD theory, that human’s are biologically prepared for language development, which is an important idea to reference throughout this essay. As babies, voices and faces activate language acquisition. Babies prefer human voices and make associations to caregivers. This association and response is the natural and innate behavior of developing babies.
         Parent’s nurture is essential in aiding language development. Caregivers and adults speak slower, enunciate words, repeat, and change their tone to help babies decode. Baby sound developments, alternations and coordination, became known as a “universal process.” In the video developmental stages are similar in any culture. Babies at the earliest stage express their needs through cries, which generates response from parents. The next stage is cooing and “babytalk,” that begins a new range of adult responses. These stages initiate “mother-ease,” recognition of mother and innate response of parent to child.
         Zimbardo explains one word stage, versus,  two word stage. “Hi” and “bye,” are part of first word stage process, followed by second stage developments, which shows a relationship between a word and a child’s desire, demand, question, modification. Ex. “Joey Truck.” This is followed by effects and event words like “more,” and “again.” Dr. Slobin, of University of California at Berkeley, states that after researching native language development of cultures around the world, he found that all two year olds are applying grammar structure to their language. He uses English as example. He states that English is a strict language because of this, toddlers follow pattern of action and object, such as “more milk.” Interestingly enough, he says, when toddlers are incorrectly using words like “broked” and “falled,” into regular sentences, they have broken a pattern to start putting together new form, such as past tense verbiage. Thus, incorrect grammar is progress.
         Learning the rules and syntax of language is shaped by social exposure to conversation imitations. Children begin imitating their parents by using proper conversation techniques, such as “please” and “thank you.” There is also the practice of open conversation, taking turns, and ending conversation, for example, “hello,” and “goodbye,” learned throughout engagement, tones, intuition, and repetition.
         Nurture and nature in conjunction, immerse and expose child to language. The evolution and development of language is essential to our relationships and advancements as a species, that is why it is so mind-blowing how advanced human’s babies are.