Origins of Human Language - How Humans Invent Languages

8 important questions on Origins of Human Language - How Humans Invent Languages

What do they mean with the  "linguistic code" system?

A system of symbols and combinatory rules that came to an agreement for language users to use it for specific meanings. Linguistic code is often not enough to explain the meaning, so inferences are needed for hearers.

What were the two ingredients that were needed in order for this shared homesign to progress in its beginnings?


(1) a community of speakers using the same linguistic
system;
(2) a generational progression in which very young speakers
were exposed to the structured input of their linguistic predecessors

Why are young students better in learning language than older students?

Sensitive period --> The notion is that there’s a sensitive period, a window of time during which children seem to have a special aptitude for learning language.
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What does the sensitive period explain when it comes to nativists view?

It supports the view that language is innately specified.

Why does the sensitive period does not support the anti-nativist view?

It is hard to explain why children are better at learning a language then grownups, who are smarter than children. And that disapproves the claim that language is a by-product of our cognitive abilities.

What did the researcher find in the language when studying zebra finches that were isolated during 3-4 generations?

Songs of the zebra finches came to sound very similar to the language of the birds in a normal environment. Language can, therefore, just like with humans reconstitute from nothing into something in a small number of generations.

What did William Stokoe from Gallaudet University conclude about sign language?

Far from being a pantomime, sign language has grammatical elements and structures and that the grammatical elements were completely different from those found in English (less systematic).

What did William Stroke declare when it comes to sign language?

He declared it as a real language with its own rights, naming it American Sign Language (ASL). He also published a book in the same year as Hockett's features.

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