LING 1010 STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS 2025, ALL
WITH DETAILED VERIFIED CORRECT ANSWERS
Alternative explanations for language-unique universals
-biological explanations
-cognitive explanations
-historical explanations
True
Although part of the language could be innate, part of it must be dependent on environmental
factors
Hidden Universal (covert universal)
these refer to the general design of the mental grammar and the general structure of these
components (the structure of grammar)
-Are based on a smaller number of language (because it takes a lot of time to analyze a
language)
• Focus on hidden properties (properties of the mental grammar)
• Are theory-dependent
• May not be very clearly reflected in the surface due to
'noise' (e.g. due to language use factors)
• Have a NON-statistical flavor (Often stated as "laws" or "'principles")
Overt Universal
These refer to the observable properties of languages
Absolute Universal
These are true in all cases (ex: all languages have nouns)
Implicational Universal
,If a language has property X it will also have (or cannot have) property Y
Disjunctive Universal aka Parameters or Half-Universals
These are universal choices that languages have (ex: all languages have either property A or
property B)
True
The existence of language universals has been used to support the innateness hypothesis
Historical Explanation (monogenesis)
All languages have properties in common because they have all developed from one language
that was spoken for in the past
Behavioral Explanation
Explains general properties of language with reference to principles such as ease of articulation
and ease of perception
Anatomical Explanation
All universals are grounded in the anatomy of speech organs (we have universals because we all
have similar organs used to speak)
Neurological Explanation
Explains the structure of language in terms of the neurological structure of the brain
Computational Explanation
Says universal structure comes from general properties of processing sensory data and their
associated symbolic representations (categorization and concept formation, pattern
recognition, combinatorial abilities, storage and retrieval, learning strategies)
Parameter
, A statement that indicates a choice between (often two) possible properties of mental
grammar/language
-Child can make choices between two options
Head-Complement Parameter
Heads precede their complements/heads follow their complements
Baldwin Effect
The idea that capacities that support the efficient learning and use of languages tend to
become innate specifications in the language module
Ontogenetic Inquiry into Human Knowledge
-Involves investigating how the mind develops in the maturing child
-It includes the logical problem of language acquisition and the developmental problem of
language acquisition
True
Chomsky claims that you can analyze each unique language system in terms of a) universal
principles and b) parameters
Parameter vs. Principle
Properties that are true for all vs. properties for which there is
True
According to individuals like Chomsky, it can be said that language acquisition is just setting the
value of the parameters (and learning the lexicon)
Statistical Learning
-Empiricists have this theory
-A central question to this approach is the degree to which language acquisition can be
achieved with a single learning mechanism
WITH DETAILED VERIFIED CORRECT ANSWERS
Alternative explanations for language-unique universals
-biological explanations
-cognitive explanations
-historical explanations
True
Although part of the language could be innate, part of it must be dependent on environmental
factors
Hidden Universal (covert universal)
these refer to the general design of the mental grammar and the general structure of these
components (the structure of grammar)
-Are based on a smaller number of language (because it takes a lot of time to analyze a
language)
• Focus on hidden properties (properties of the mental grammar)
• Are theory-dependent
• May not be very clearly reflected in the surface due to
'noise' (e.g. due to language use factors)
• Have a NON-statistical flavor (Often stated as "laws" or "'principles")
Overt Universal
These refer to the observable properties of languages
Absolute Universal
These are true in all cases (ex: all languages have nouns)
Implicational Universal
,If a language has property X it will also have (or cannot have) property Y
Disjunctive Universal aka Parameters or Half-Universals
These are universal choices that languages have (ex: all languages have either property A or
property B)
True
The existence of language universals has been used to support the innateness hypothesis
Historical Explanation (monogenesis)
All languages have properties in common because they have all developed from one language
that was spoken for in the past
Behavioral Explanation
Explains general properties of language with reference to principles such as ease of articulation
and ease of perception
Anatomical Explanation
All universals are grounded in the anatomy of speech organs (we have universals because we all
have similar organs used to speak)
Neurological Explanation
Explains the structure of language in terms of the neurological structure of the brain
Computational Explanation
Says universal structure comes from general properties of processing sensory data and their
associated symbolic representations (categorization and concept formation, pattern
recognition, combinatorial abilities, storage and retrieval, learning strategies)
Parameter
, A statement that indicates a choice between (often two) possible properties of mental
grammar/language
-Child can make choices between two options
Head-Complement Parameter
Heads precede their complements/heads follow their complements
Baldwin Effect
The idea that capacities that support the efficient learning and use of languages tend to
become innate specifications in the language module
Ontogenetic Inquiry into Human Knowledge
-Involves investigating how the mind develops in the maturing child
-It includes the logical problem of language acquisition and the developmental problem of
language acquisition
True
Chomsky claims that you can analyze each unique language system in terms of a) universal
principles and b) parameters
Parameter vs. Principle
Properties that are true for all vs. properties for which there is
True
According to individuals like Chomsky, it can be said that language acquisition is just setting the
value of the parameters (and learning the lexicon)
Statistical Learning
-Empiricists have this theory
-A central question to this approach is the degree to which language acquisition can be
achieved with a single learning mechanism
