Introduction to Linguistics

Class #1:Language as a Human Instinct

Why call language an instinct?

Species specificity
Uniformity throughout human species
Humans spontaneously create languages
Independence from other mental abilities
Sensitive period for learning language.
Species Specificity
Other species simply can't learn human language

The communication systems of other animals are not even remotely as complex as human language.

Uniformity of Human Language

All humans master a human language … except in extreme circumstances
All human languages are remarkably similar in their language abilities.

Children spontaneously create language

Pidgins and Creoles
Improving on the input: the case of "Simon"
Creating languages with no input at all: "Home Sign" languages
Special parental input is not necessary.

Children create their own system

"It breaked"

"Don't giggle me!"

"Does she doesn't like that?"

Language and General Intelligence

Good language with poor overall cognitive profile: Williams Syndrome
Poor language with good overall cognitive profile: aphasia, Specific Language Impairment.

Cognitive Characteristics of Williams Syndrome

William's Syndrome is a rare genetic defect, affecting approx. 1/20,000 births

Low general IQ
Poor math
Poor spatial abilities, e.g. navigation
Good language
Often good with music.

Model

Williams

Age 11;1

KBIT 70

(RA)

Williams

Age9;1

KBIT 77

(AS)

Control

Age6;1

KBIT 122

(BD)

Broca's Aphasia

Specific Language Impairment

"It's a flying finches, they are."

"She remembered when she hurts herself the other day."

"The neighbors phone the ambulance because the man fall off the tree."

"The boys eat four cookie."

"Carol is cry in the church."

Sensitive Period for Language Learning

Language learning is effortless before puberty, extremely effortful later in life
Applies to both first and second language learning
Applies to spoken and signed languages.

Conclusion…

Language is specific to humans, and extremely uniform among humans
Humans create language without instruction
Language abilities are partly independent of other cognitive abilities
Language learning requires a young brain
Language has the properties of an 'instinct'.