LANGUAGEANDEVOLUTION
Speechgivingvaluable informationaboutfunctioning of
brain MRI
speech as a product of
evolution
Genotypeengaged in interaction withthe environment andproduces a phenotype
Intheanimal world thechildren better communicators stand a higherchance ofsurvival
of
of
Thebeginnings speech dateback tothechangefrom quadrupedalto bipedalmovement
Listeningand comprehending information vital for
survival remainedcrucial
andis considered to function as a fitnessindex
SPEECH LEVELS
thegenetic level influencingtheDNAsequence
theindividual level connectedwith changes inthecortex andaccounting fordifferences in ourmental images
andmemory traces
theculturelevel onwhich intra generational and intergenerational transmission takes place
INNATE
COMMUNICATION INDIVIDUALISED
3 CULTURALLYTRANSMITTED
individualsborn blinduse gestures andbodypostures which they neverhadachance toobserve
deafchildren exhibit cooing gawomeniel
all communities natural languages demonstrate some commonfeatures
ournervous system seems tobepreparedforlanguagesacquisition
children tendto takeoverthewaysofspeaking used theadults aroundus
by
later in our life wemodel our language onthe speech ofsignificant others
thosefemale chipmunaees thatwere taughttheAsh American signlanguage spontaneously started
getting new knowledge totheiryoung
GENDER IN SPEECHDEVELOPMENT
Females havebeenfoundto
process communication using largerareas oftheirbrains
archieve higherresults in thefield offluency
demonstrate moretypes ofcompensation mechanisms infamilies suffering fromgenetic
communication impairment
besignificantlymore likelytouseglobal strategies
Gender difference trends in strategy use are quitepronouncedwithin and acrossculture
, LANGUAGE IN THEBRAIN
E
Today neuroscientists are moreoftenof theopinionthat whilespeaking we process information
with ourwholebrain
phonological and lexical forms ofwords perisilviancortex
function words left hemisphere
content words multiple bilaterallinks to areasthat represent theiracoustic visual olfactory
and somatosensory referents
action words motor prefrontalcortex
pain words sensomotor cortex
AGEOFACQUISITION IN SPEECH DEVELOPMENT
CRITICALPERIODHYPOTHESIS
Firstfewyearsof life isthecrucial time in which an individualcan acquire a first
language LL if presentedwith adequate stimuli Afterthistimefurtherlanguage
acquisition becomes much more difficult and effortful
Differentareas oflanguage havedifferentcriticalagesassociatedwiththem
Today difficultiesareattributed to losses ofplasticity in proceduralmemory and sensivity to
languages in youngeryears a propertywhich diminishes with maturation It hasimpact
onsign language comprehension Undermined
byLarsEkstrand
ACTIVATIONTRESHOLDHYPOTHESIS
Inordertogain proficiency in a second language thelearner must also havepassed
a certainandage appropriate level of competence in his firstlanguage
, LANGUAGE 1 ATTRITION
Theprocessoflosinga native orfirstlanguage caused isolationfromspeakers
by
ofthe firstlanguage1LLl andtheacquisitionanduseof a secondlanguage 1L2
L1 attrition isfirstnoticed in the lexiconratherthan ingrammarand phonology
Thesemantic changes involve changedmeanings a lessdiverselexicon in conversation
orlessefective vocabulary access in picturenaming
FLAAND51L SAMEORDIFFERENT
FIRSTLANGUAGE Acquisition secondLANGUAGELearnino
IDENTITY HYPOTHESIS
Firstandsecondlanguage learning is basicallyoneandthesameprocessgoverned
by thesamelaws
FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCEHYPOTHESIS
SetforwardbyBley Vroman notesconsiderabledifferences between L1 acquisition andadult
foreign language learning i e adultsfrequent lack of success or evengeneralfailure
variation in success butalsovariation ingoats Suggests a differentrobe fortheaffective
factors in adults and children dueto thefactsthaterrorsfossiliae in adults butbear
a developmental character in children anddue to theadults need fornegative evidence
anderror correction which unlike in children results in theindispensability offormal
instruction Thishypothesis hasopponents whoside with thesupportersof the identity
hypothesis claiming that infact thesame structures areresponsible fortheacquisition
and beaming of succesive languages
FUNDAMENTAL SIMILARITY HYPOTHESIS
States that there are important similarities between first andsecond language
acquisition such as inputdependence andpoverty of stimuli but at thesametime
significant cognitive andaffective differences can be noted
and the Fundamental Differences Hypothesis
Fundamental Similarity Hypothesis
seem to be muchmorepopular todaythan Identity Hypothesis
The question ofsimilarity or difference hasmuch in common with
the question of the age at which language acquisition takes place
Procedural memory is active in early childhood with declarative
memory at tater stages
, SENSITIVE PERIOD HYPOTHESIS
Theperiodbetween birth and the 25thyear is more appropriate
for language acquisition and learning although later learning
is also possible As the brain of an infant shows high glucose levels
the numberof nerve cells is larger that any other stage ofhuman
life acquisition can be quick and efficient at earlyage memory
is still very strong new info is absorbed at highspeed dopamine
and adrenaline levels are high and can supportfluency while high
oestrogen levels can successfully support verbal memory
After the age of 25 deficits in short term memory appear
new info is absorbed slower due to decreasing hormons level
both acquisition and learning are still possible thanks to
the growing role of motivation the ability to use learning strategies
The location of successive languages in the brain is not
the same and the mechanisms responsible for particular
languages differ
L2HYPOTHESIS right hemisphere is more active when L2 is used
BALANCED BILINGUAL HYPOTHESIS bilinguals activate their right
hemisphere more for both languages
According to the manner of acquisition hypothesis localisation
is also believed to be different depending on the situation
and the context of acquisition
left hemisphere language learning in formal situations
like school or courses
righthemisphere acquisition and or learning in the
informal contexts migration implying
natural contact and interaction with native
speakers
Todaythelinguistic competence is believed to be stored mainly
in left hemisphere with pragmatic competence
in the right one Although linguistic knowledge is believed
to be stored mainly in the left hemisphere metalinguistic
knowledge is believed to be stoned bilaterally
It is also believed that a second language L2
activates the right hemisphere more than
the left one
Speechgivingvaluable informationaboutfunctioning of
brain MRI
speech as a product of
evolution
Genotypeengaged in interaction withthe environment andproduces a phenotype
Intheanimal world thechildren better communicators stand a higherchance ofsurvival
of
of
Thebeginnings speech dateback tothechangefrom quadrupedalto bipedalmovement
Listeningand comprehending information vital for
survival remainedcrucial
andis considered to function as a fitnessindex
SPEECH LEVELS
thegenetic level influencingtheDNAsequence
theindividual level connectedwith changes inthecortex andaccounting fordifferences in ourmental images
andmemory traces
theculturelevel onwhich intra generational and intergenerational transmission takes place
INNATE
COMMUNICATION INDIVIDUALISED
3 CULTURALLYTRANSMITTED
individualsborn blinduse gestures andbodypostures which they neverhadachance toobserve
deafchildren exhibit cooing gawomeniel
all communities natural languages demonstrate some commonfeatures
ournervous system seems tobepreparedforlanguagesacquisition
children tendto takeoverthewaysofspeaking used theadults aroundus
by
later in our life wemodel our language onthe speech ofsignificant others
thosefemale chipmunaees thatwere taughttheAsh American signlanguage spontaneously started
getting new knowledge totheiryoung
GENDER IN SPEECHDEVELOPMENT
Females havebeenfoundto
process communication using largerareas oftheirbrains
archieve higherresults in thefield offluency
demonstrate moretypes ofcompensation mechanisms infamilies suffering fromgenetic
communication impairment
besignificantlymore likelytouseglobal strategies
Gender difference trends in strategy use are quitepronouncedwithin and acrossculture
, LANGUAGE IN THEBRAIN
E
Today neuroscientists are moreoftenof theopinionthat whilespeaking we process information
with ourwholebrain
phonological and lexical forms ofwords perisilviancortex
function words left hemisphere
content words multiple bilaterallinks to areasthat represent theiracoustic visual olfactory
and somatosensory referents
action words motor prefrontalcortex
pain words sensomotor cortex
AGEOFACQUISITION IN SPEECH DEVELOPMENT
CRITICALPERIODHYPOTHESIS
Firstfewyearsof life isthecrucial time in which an individualcan acquire a first
language LL if presentedwith adequate stimuli Afterthistimefurtherlanguage
acquisition becomes much more difficult and effortful
Differentareas oflanguage havedifferentcriticalagesassociatedwiththem
Today difficultiesareattributed to losses ofplasticity in proceduralmemory and sensivity to
languages in youngeryears a propertywhich diminishes with maturation It hasimpact
onsign language comprehension Undermined
byLarsEkstrand
ACTIVATIONTRESHOLDHYPOTHESIS
Inordertogain proficiency in a second language thelearner must also havepassed
a certainandage appropriate level of competence in his firstlanguage
, LANGUAGE 1 ATTRITION
Theprocessoflosinga native orfirstlanguage caused isolationfromspeakers
by
ofthe firstlanguage1LLl andtheacquisitionanduseof a secondlanguage 1L2
L1 attrition isfirstnoticed in the lexiconratherthan ingrammarand phonology
Thesemantic changes involve changedmeanings a lessdiverselexicon in conversation
orlessefective vocabulary access in picturenaming
FLAAND51L SAMEORDIFFERENT
FIRSTLANGUAGE Acquisition secondLANGUAGELearnino
IDENTITY HYPOTHESIS
Firstandsecondlanguage learning is basicallyoneandthesameprocessgoverned
by thesamelaws
FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCEHYPOTHESIS
SetforwardbyBley Vroman notesconsiderabledifferences between L1 acquisition andadult
foreign language learning i e adultsfrequent lack of success or evengeneralfailure
variation in success butalsovariation ingoats Suggests a differentrobe fortheaffective
factors in adults and children dueto thefactsthaterrorsfossiliae in adults butbear
a developmental character in children anddue to theadults need fornegative evidence
anderror correction which unlike in children results in theindispensability offormal
instruction Thishypothesis hasopponents whoside with thesupportersof the identity
hypothesis claiming that infact thesame structures areresponsible fortheacquisition
and beaming of succesive languages
FUNDAMENTAL SIMILARITY HYPOTHESIS
States that there are important similarities between first andsecond language
acquisition such as inputdependence andpoverty of stimuli but at thesametime
significant cognitive andaffective differences can be noted
and the Fundamental Differences Hypothesis
Fundamental Similarity Hypothesis
seem to be muchmorepopular todaythan Identity Hypothesis
The question ofsimilarity or difference hasmuch in common with
the question of the age at which language acquisition takes place
Procedural memory is active in early childhood with declarative
memory at tater stages
, SENSITIVE PERIOD HYPOTHESIS
Theperiodbetween birth and the 25thyear is more appropriate
for language acquisition and learning although later learning
is also possible As the brain of an infant shows high glucose levels
the numberof nerve cells is larger that any other stage ofhuman
life acquisition can be quick and efficient at earlyage memory
is still very strong new info is absorbed at highspeed dopamine
and adrenaline levels are high and can supportfluency while high
oestrogen levels can successfully support verbal memory
After the age of 25 deficits in short term memory appear
new info is absorbed slower due to decreasing hormons level
both acquisition and learning are still possible thanks to
the growing role of motivation the ability to use learning strategies
The location of successive languages in the brain is not
the same and the mechanisms responsible for particular
languages differ
L2HYPOTHESIS right hemisphere is more active when L2 is used
BALANCED BILINGUAL HYPOTHESIS bilinguals activate their right
hemisphere more for both languages
According to the manner of acquisition hypothesis localisation
is also believed to be different depending on the situation
and the context of acquisition
left hemisphere language learning in formal situations
like school or courses
righthemisphere acquisition and or learning in the
informal contexts migration implying
natural contact and interaction with native
speakers
Todaythelinguistic competence is believed to be stored mainly
in left hemisphere with pragmatic competence
in the right one Although linguistic knowledge is believed
to be stored mainly in the left hemisphere metalinguistic
knowledge is believed to be stoned bilaterally
It is also believed that a second language L2
activates the right hemisphere more than
the left one
