Language, Nineteen eighty-four, and 1989

1994 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 555-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michał Buchowski ◽  
David B. Kronenfeld ◽  
William Peterman ◽  
Lynn Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Cognitive Dissonance ◽  
Central Europe ◽  
Language Change ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Semantic Theory ◽  
Theoretical Explanation ◽  
George Orwell ◽  
Early Language

ABSTRACTThe article examines the fact that the push for democracy and the end of Communist rule in Central Europe was phrased in terms of traditional European notions of freedom and democracy, in spite of longlived Communist attempts to redefine these and related terms in order to make them a Communist reality. Communist language usage was forcefully brought home to the West by George Orwell in Nineteen Eighty-Four, especially in his notion of “doublethink”. We use the semantic theory of David Kronenfeld, along with Leon Festinger's theory of cognitive dissonance and Jean Piaget's views of how children's cognitive systems develop (including natural language), to derive a theoretical explanation for the failure of the Orwellian prediction and of the Communist linguistic efforts on which it was predicated. The explanation involves Ferdinand de Saussure's central idea that language is an interlinked system which is crucially social, and points to the critical role of childre's early language learning (in mundane, everyday contexts) on the development and structuring of their adult system. (Extensionist semantics, politics and language, cognitive dissonance, Central Europe, Poland, George Orwell, propaganda, language change)

scholarly journals The pervasive role of pragmatics in early language

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Bohn ◽  
Michael C. Frank
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
Social Cues ◽  
Social Reasoning ◽  
Early Language ◽  
Computational Framework ◽  
Linguistic Pragmatics ◽  
Developmental Continuity ◽  
Pragmatic Reasoning

Language is a fundamentally social endeavor. Pragmatics is the study of how speakers and listeners use social reasoning to go beyond the literal meanings of words to interpret language in context. In this review, we take a pragmatic perspective on language development and argue for developmental continuity between early non-verbal communication, language learning, and linguistic pragmatics. We link phenomena from these different literatures by relating them to a computational framework (the rational speech act framework), which conceptualizes communication as fundamentally inferential and grounded in social cognition. The model specifies how different information sources (linguistic utterances, social cues, common ground) are combined when making pragmatic inferences. We present evidence in favor of this inferential view and review how pragmatic reasoning supports children’s learning, comprehension, and use of language.

scholarly journals The Pervasive Role of Pragmatics in Early Language

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 223-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Bohn ◽  
Michael C. Frank
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
Social Cues ◽  
Social Reasoning ◽  
Early Language ◽  
Computational Framework ◽  
Linguistic Pragmatics ◽  
Developmental Continuity ◽  
Pragmatic Reasoning

Language is a fundamentally social endeavor. Pragmatics is the study of how speakers and listeners use social reasoning to go beyond the literal meanings of words to interpret language in context. In this article, we take a pragmatic perspective on language development and argue for developmental continuity between early nonverbal communication, language learning, and linguistic pragmatics. We link phenomena from these different literatures by relating them to a computational framework (the rational speech act framework), which conceptualizes communication as fundamentally inferential and grounded in social cognition. The model specifies how different information sources (linguistic utterances, social cues, common ground) are combined when making pragmatic inferences. We present evidence in favor of this inferential view and review how pragmatic reasoning supports children's learning, comprehension, and use of language.

scholarly journals Production and Substantive Bias in Phonological Learning

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Youngah Do ◽  
Jonathan Havenhill
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Change ◽  
Pattern Learning ◽  
Artificial Language ◽  
Phonological Learning ◽  
Artificial Language Learning ◽  
Learning Contexts ◽  
Learning Conditions ◽  
Show Evidence

The role of inductive biases has been actively examined in work on phonological learning. While previous studies systematically supported a structural bias hypothesis, i.e., patterns with simpler phonological featural descriptions are easier to learn, the results have been mixed for a substantive bias hypothesis, i.e., phonetically motivated patterns are easier to learn. This study explores an explanation for the uncertain status of substantive bias in phonological learning. Among the aspects of phonetic substance, we focus on articulatory factors. We hypothesize that practice producing phonological patterns makes salient to learners the articulatory factors underlying articulatorily (un-)grounded patterns. An artificial language learning experiment was conducted to test the learning of postnasal (de)voicing, a pattern which is primarily grounded on articulatory components. We examine the role of production in the learning of articulatorily grounded (postnasal voicing) vs. ungrounded patterns (postnasal devoicing), by comparing the outcomes of perception-only vs. perception-with-production learning contexts, both in categorical and variable pattern learning conditions. The results show evidence for a production effect, but it was restricted to certain contexts, namely those involving a higher level of uncertainty and for languages exhibiting dominant natural patterns. We discuss the implications of our findings for phonological learning and language change.

scholarly journals The Role of Classroom Culture and Psychological Safety in EFL Students' Engagement

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaowei Tu
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Psychological Safety ◽  
Classroom Culture ◽  
Classroom Activities ◽  
Whole Process ◽  
Personal Variables ◽  
Efl Students

Language learning is a complex phenomenon that is the outcome of an interplay of numerous inter/intra-personal variables. Out of these factors, emotions play a critical role in the whole process of learning. Research approves that positive emotions lead to positive outcomes. This is only obtainable in a positive classroom culture where students feel psychologically safe. If so, they actively engage in the classroom activities for a longer period. However, the macro-effect of classroom culture in EFL/ESL contexts has been limitedly explored. Against this shortcoming, the present article provides a brief account of the definition and conceptualization of classroom culture and its impact on two learner psychology variables (i.e., psychological safety, engagement). Moreover, the dimensions and factors influencing these variables are discussed. Finally, the study offers some implications for different stakeholders in EFL/ESL contexts and enumerates a number of research gaps and future directions for future scholars in this line of inquiry.

scholarly journals A Critique to Fundamental Differences Hypothesis

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 137
Author(s):  
Jing Ding
Keyword(s):  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Universal Grammar ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Theoretical Explanation ◽  
Supporting Evidence ◽  
Logical Problem ◽  
Acquisition Device ◽  
Influential Theory

Chomsky’s Theory of Universal Grammar was proposed in response to “the logical problem of language acquisition”, that is, how children come to acquire L1with ease and complete success despite the insufficiency of the L1 stimulus. Chomsky attributes the phenomenon to the Language Acquisition Device or UG inherited by human brain. Since “the logical problem” exists in SLA. What is the role of LAD or UG in SLA? Or, is UG accessible to L2 learners? This is a question that has attracted SLA researchers since the establishment of UG theory. This paper gives some own analysis of one of the most influential theory of UG accessibility—Fundamental Difference Hypothesis, which belongs to the no-access views and points out its weakness by discussing its theoretical explanation as well as the supporting evidence. To be more specific, this paper will discuss mainly 2 points, one is the nine fundamental characters of foreign language learning and the other is its theoretical explanation related to the Critical Period Hypothesis.

The role of multisensory development in early language learning

2019 ◽  
Vol 183 ◽  
pp. 48-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gina M. Mason ◽  
Michael H. Goldstein ◽  
Jennifer A. Schwade
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Early Language

scholarly journals Language teaching is no panacea: A theoretical perspective and critical evaluation of language in education within the South African context

2011 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Heila Jordaan
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
South African ◽  
Education System ◽  
Linguistic Diversity ◽  
Educational Achievement ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
The South

Language competence is both the means and the end to educational achievement, and multilingualism in particular has important cognitive, academic and societal advantages. The linguistic diversity in South Africa creates an ideal context to provide learners with the educational opportunities that promote high levels of linguistic proficiency in their home and additional languages. Unfortunately, the education system has not delivered on the constitutional imperatives of promoting multilingualism. English continues to dominate as the preferred language of teaching and learning, at the expense and marginalisation of the African languages. This is regarded by many researchers as the primary reason for the disturbingly low numeracy and literacy achievement levels of the majority of South African schoolchildren. However, the effects of language-in-education practices on academic achievement are not straightforward. This paper analyses recent research pertaining to the effects of language-in-education practices and argues that the critical role of educational linguistics is neglected in the South African education system. This affects the quality of teaching irrespective of the language of instruction and has a significant impact on the achievement of our children. The purpose of this paper is to present a critical theoretical perspective on language in education in order to influence policy and practice. An additional aim is to promote the role of speech-language therapists (SLTs) in education, since these professionals are well positioned to work in collaboration with educators to enhance language learning in mainstream/ordinary classrooms. However, SLTs also need to be well informed about the challenges in education and the theory underlying language-in-education practices.

scholarly journals On historical language contact in English and its types: state of the art and new directions

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (s2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolaos Lavidas ◽  
Alexander Bergs
Keyword(s):  
Language Contact ◽  
Language Change ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Early Language ◽  
New Directions ◽  
Different Types ◽  
History Of ◽  
New Methodologies ◽  
Early English

AbstractThis article presents the state of the art of current research on the different types of language contact in early English. The article’s main aim is to show what kinds of phenomena have been investigated until now as possible areas of transfer/borrowing from other languages. We examine the main contact scenarios in Old and Middle English, which involve Latin, Celtic, French and Old Norse. We locate unanswered questions and underexamined hypotheses of historical language contact. We argue that the articles of the Special Collection on Language Contact in the History of English open new directions in the way we can investigate the role of early language contact in the development of English. New methodologies of research, the role of bilingualism in language change but also of the written types of contact, and the various domains of change in grammar, lexicon, and pragmatics offer insights into old and new hypotheses on scenarios of language contact.

App-titude: Top Apps for Tots

ASHA Leader ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 32-32
Author(s):  
Heidi Hanks
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Early Language ◽  
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