Language Theories

No description yet. This curated deck is ready for daily study.

Total cards: 24•Content version: v4•Public deck•Updated: 8/1/2026

Card preview (24)

Front (Question)

What is a language theory

Back (Answer)

Theoretical views on how and why language is acquired

Front (Question)

which person is associated with nativist theory?

Back (Answer)

Noam Chomsky

Front (Question)

which person is associated with behavioral theory?

Back (Answer)

B.F. Skinner

Front (Question)

which person is associated with cognitivist theory?

Back (Answer)

jean piaget

Front (Question)

which person is associated with social constructivist theory?

Back (Answer)

lev vygotsky

Front (Question)

what are the 5 primary language development theories?

Back (Answer)

BLICS 1) nativist generative theory 2) interactionalist theory 3) behavioral learning theory 4) cognitivist learning theory 5) social constructivist learning theory

Front (Question)

In this learning theory, language acquisition is mostly determined by biology with little environmental impact

Back (Answer)

nativist

Front (Question)

in the nativist theory, language acquisition is done via __ __ __

Back (Answer)

Transformational Generative Grammar

Front (Question)

What are the three elements of transformational generative grammar?

Back (Answer)

Structures 1) deep structure - universal rules to all languages housed in deep structure 2) transformations - transformational rules used to produce unlimited number of word order rules 3) surface structure - transformations lead here (work order and grammar)

#10

Front (Question)

what are five criticisms of nativist theory?

Back (Answer)

1) none of the models explain language acquisition 2) generative theories based on adult grammar, not child grammar 3) there is evidence kids benefit from grammar when learning language 4) there is evidence environment does matter 5) there are industries (SLPs etc) built on the idea that language guidance works

#11

Front (Question)

which language theory has deep structure, transformations and surface structure?

Back (Answer)

nativist

#12

Front (Question)

which language theory involves a Language Acquisition Device (LAD) in the brain?

Back (Answer)

nativist

#13

Front (Question)

what are the two branches of interactionalist theory?

Back (Answer)

emergentism and constructionism

#14

Front (Question)

what is child-directed speech?

Back (Answer)

the specific way adults speak to children

#15

Front (Question)

which theory has child directed speech (CDS)?

Back (Answer)

interactionalist

#16

Front (Question)

which branch of interactionalist theory proports that language arises from interaction of existing patterns in brain

Back (Answer)

emergentism

#17

Front (Question)

which branch of interactionalist theory focuses on children learning language via pattern-finding?

Back (Answer)

constructionism

#18

Front (Question)

what are two criticisms of interactionalist theory?

Back (Answer)

1) language development not fully explained 2) explains individual differences but not similarities in language development across children

#19

Front (Question)

According to behavioral theory, what is the difference between language and speech?

Back (Answer)

Language is a verbal environment, speech is verbal behavior

#20

Front (Question)

This language theory is all about reinforcement and consequences

Back (Answer)

behavioral

#21

Front (Question)

which theory involves chaining?

Back (Answer)

behavioral

#22

Front (Question)

in this theory, children are passive learners and instead the environment does the heavy lifting

Back (Answer)

behavioral

#23

Front (Question)

the preceding tactics “discriminative, delta and aversive” are hallmarks of the ____ theory

Back (Answer)

behaviorist

#24

Front (Question)

in this preceding behaviorist tactic, the caregiver reminds the child about the reinforcement that will follow behavior

Back (Answer)

discriminative