Psycholinguistics: A Review
Gamez, P., Lesaux, N., Rizzo, A. (2016). Narrative production skills of language
minority learners and their English-only classmates in early adolescence. Applied Psycholinguistics, 37: 933-961. DOI: http://dx.doi.org.proxy.tamuc.edu/10.1017/S0142716415000314
The study by Gamez, Lesaux and Rizzo (2016) compares early-adolescent Spanish language speakers to same-age English-only language speakers in terms of narrative production skills. The researchers provided the subjects with picture books and then asked them to produce a narrative based on the pictures. What the researchers found was that the Spanish language speakers and the English language speakers utilized the same story structure in the creation of their narratives. Both groups produced narratives that had a "goal -- action -- outcome framework" (p. 952). However, the Spanish language speakers had less grammatical diversity than the English-only speakers; they demonstrated a tendency to revise and to commit errors when using prepositions; also, their narratives were longer than those produced by the English-only speakers. Thus, the researchers concluded that both groups share a sense of how a narrative should be constructed, but that the language minority learner may require more training and education in the area of microstructuring.
The article is interesting primarily because it builds on the work of previous researchers, particularly those related to language minority students and how they craft narratives -- or, more specifically, how culture plays a part in the way they stylize their narrative creations (Gamez et al., 2016, p. 953). The way in which the Spanish-speaking learners utilized internal responses within their narrative structures could indicate that there is a cultural influence at play, though the study assessed here did not find any strong statistical correlation; nonetheless, the researchers recommend it as an area that could use further research. So this was an interesting finding and...
Language and Language Practices Language is the written and verbal method by which people communicate with one another. It employs sounds or written designs that are understood by others to create words, phrases, and sentences. Other species have language, as well, but it is not believed to be as complex as the language used by human beings (Bloomfield, 1914; Deacon, 1998). There are many facets to language, and there are nuances
Language Learning Acquisition My Language Learning Acquisition Learning languages that are not native to you is not easy, but it is something that can be done by people who are passionate and dedicated. The easiest way to learn a language is through immersion into that language, and the best time to learn is as a child. Children soak up so much of what they see and hear all around them, that they
Language and Social Grouping Language is used differently in different geographic groups, ethnic, age, gender, and socioeconomic groups (Williams, 2010). Geographic groups use the same languages in different dialects that belong to the particular geographic regions. Within each language are many different dialects that have been formed with different geographic locations and cultures. Shared words, experiences, cultures, and expressions are ethnic and shared elements of the social fabric. Language of a common
In the final analysis, people have been learning how to acquire language for millennia without the assistance of scientific investigation, but the need for young people to do so quickly in an increasingly multicultural country and globalized marketplace is more important than ever before because they will probably have to learn a second (or third) language at their earliest opportunity. References Birdsong, D. (1999). Second language acquisition and the critical period
The reality is that the universal grammar theory attempts to lay general structures that can be traced among languages. Therefore, if a constant 'X' is true then 'Y' will be equally true. It puts down how all languages expand when subjected to a given set of fundamental principles. With these principles, universal grammar enables us to try out word order prediction in languages, the phonemes, syntax etc. Several linguists hold
The environment that language acquisition occurs in, whether it is a first or a second language being acquired, is also hugely influential on the development of that language. It is only in context that a language with inherent ambiguities can be understood at a level of fluency, and if the environment surrounding the language learner does not help to reinforce the rules and/or vocabulary of that language, then language acquisition
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now