Mondays & Wednesdays, 2-3:20pm in SH 128
Instructor: Lisa Pearl, Department of Cognitive Sciences, SSPB 2243
Office Hours: T/Th 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Email is the best way to reach her to schedule an appointment not during these times.
Reader: Jacquece Fradue (email)
Language is an incredibly complex system of knowledge. Not only are there multiple levels of representation - sounds and words and phrases and meanings - but within a given level, even simple output forms can be derived from multiple interacting pieces of knowledge. Yet as speakers of any given language, we are often blissfully unaware of how much we need to know in order to be able to communicate with language.
One of the most striking things about language is that all normally-developing children learn their native language flawlessly, especially when compared to adults trying to accomplish the same task. This is true despite adults' superior cognitive skills. Children of the world seem somehow suited for language acquisition in a way that adult humans - and other animals - are not.
In this class, we survey the broad topic of language acquisition, focusing not only on children's developmental trajectory, but also on what knowledge of language is, how language acquisition relates to cognition in general, and acquisition of multiple languages. Topics include the biological basis of language, levels of linguistic knowledge, language and cognition, bilingualism, and language in special populations.
We will be reading mainly from the textbook, but may occasionally read short articles. These can all be found on the readings section and on the schedule.
Announcements:
Regarding the webpage, all assignments and lectures notes can be found by clicking on the relevant link in the schedule section.
Note: There will be no office hours on 9/30/08, 10/7/08, 10/9/08, or 11/13/08.