Guest Lecture: Rozanne Wilson (BA Hons), PhD Candidate Department of Speech-Language Pathology University of Toronto Email: [email protected]

Guest Lecture: Rozanne Wilson (BA Hons), PhD CandidateDepartment of Speech-Language PathologyUniversity of TorontoEmail: [email protected]

Speech and language pathology is concerned with issues surrounding human speech, language and communication disorders , and swallowing disorders. cognitive aspects of communication (e.g., attention, memory,

problem solving, executive functions). speech (i.e., phonation, articulation, fluency, resonance, and voice

including aeromechanical components of respiration) language (i.e., phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and

pragmatic/social aspects of communication) including comprehension and expression in oral, written, graphic, and manual modalities; language processing; preliteracy and language-based literacy skills, phonological awareness

swallowing (evaluation of esophageal function is for the purpose of referral to medical professionals);

Training also includes a mixture of other disciplines that study language & language disorders: linguistics, psychology, medical sciences

Clinical: Address language needs through speech therapyNovember 19, 2010 PSY100 Language and Thought 2

Part 1 Introduction to language Language developmentLanguage and the brain!!!

Part2Problem Solving

November 19, 2010 PSY100 Language and Thought 3

Language A shared symbolic system used for

communication Collection of symbols (represent referent) and

rules for combining symbols to express an infinite variety of messages

Involves complex cognitive process to encode, decode symbols/ signs & the mental processes to integrate and understand the input

Communication reciprocal exchange of information between a

speaker and a listener (verbal & non-verbal)November 19, 2010 PSY100 Language and Thought 4

Natural Language Individual language (e.g., English, French, Spanish, ASL)

Language Faculty Our ability to learn and use language All natural languages (~6, 500) have important features in

common (variation on a theme) This is common theme is what linguists refer to as LANGUAGE All languages are equal and all provide insight into human

language


All humans have the ability to learn their native language, provided they have the slightest opportunity to do so Example:▪ Pidgin Language

▪ Creole Language


Linguistics Academic discipline that studies the structure of language

Cognitive Linguistics Understand the structure and function of language in terms

of human perception and cognition

Psycholinguistics (neuro & socio linguistics) Examines behavior studies language as it is used and learned by people ▪ Example: normal production & comprehension

Speech-Language Pathology


Critical distinction in the investigation of language: Competence: Internalized knowledge of language & its rules

▪ Chomsky’s Universal Grammar---- ▪ innate rules --“we just know”--- linguistic intuition ▪ Everyone has linguistic competence ▪ Basis for understanding linguistic knowledge

▪ Investigate using linguistic judgments (tap in to linguistic intuition)

Performance Actual language that is produced (variable & imperfect) To reveal our knowledge of language, knowledge must past through

information processing system that is fallible▪ example: Dysfluencies (pauses) ; speech errors


Semanticity Conveys meaning

Arbitrariness No inherent connection between sound/word & referent▪ Whale/ microorganism ▪ Exception: onomatopoeia --- “buzz”▪ must learn word/referent association

Implies flexibility of symbols (change/ add more) versus Iconic system –physical symbol resembles referent ▪ Sign language has evolved from iconic system to a flexible

system

All languages have words----- We like to name everything in our environment/ experience (concrete or abstract)


Displacement Discuss different points in time (walked, walk, will walk)

Productivity/ Generative majority of our utterances are novel (not repeated) Creative system that allows us to generate infinite number of

sentences ( using set of rules)

Note: characteristics implied by universals of language Naming Flexibility of symbols


Sounds combined into units with meaning

Units of meaning combined into words

Words combined into phrases

Phrases combined into sentences that form discourse



Phonology:Sounds of a language and the rules system for combining

them Phoneme--- basic sound unit (ex: /p/, /b/, /m/)

English = ~40 / Hawaiian = 15 Phonemes across all languages = ~200 No language is superior because it has fewer or greater

phonemes Phonological rules: constrain the permitted sequences of

phonemes phonemic competence—(implicit) ▪ *slkci , slick


Semantics: Knowledge of meaning of language and rules for

combining morphemes Morphology- rules for combining phonemes in to

morphemes (basic/smallest unit of meaning) ~ 50 000 ▪ Words (free morphemes/ root words) ▪ Prefixes, suffixes (bound morphemes) ▪ Unfriendly▪ Dogs


Syntax: System of rules that specify arrangement of words in a

sentence to show their relationship to one another (describe language in terms of rules)

Descriptive Rules of well-formed sentences in a language ▪ Word order (English) specifies meaning▪ “fire engine red” ; “red fire engine”

▪ Phrase order conveys meaning ▪ “Bill told the men to deliver the piano on Monday.”; “Bill told the

men on Monday to deliver the piano.”

▪ Number Agreement (SV number agreement) e.g., The girls were sleeping.


Syntactic structure of sentences:Noam Chomsky’s Transformational Grammar

Phrase Structure Rule: sentence must have a noun phrase(NP) and a verb phrase (VP) The sound of cars is loud. *The sound of cars.

Hierarchical phrase structure ▪ S= NP (D + N) +VP (V+ NP)


the girl hugged her doll

Phrase structure: syntax independent from semantics


A child comes to speak the language(s) exposed to

Critical periods assume that an organism must develop a function within a limited time frame or it will not develop normally (with difficulty or limited) Children easily learn second languages, adults

have great difficulty Child with damage to language areas of brain

recovery language better than adults with damage

Isolated children have language impairments:▪ E.g., Genie:

Pre-linguistic stage (up to one year): Reflexive communication (1-5 months)- begins

with reflexive cry, then crying becomes more purposeful, cooing

Babbling (6-18)- adding consonants to vowelsLinguistic stage babbling begins to sound more like the

language in the child’s home One word sentences (12-30) :▪ Overextension▪ Underextentions

Two-word sentences (24) :▪ Telegraphic speech

More complex speech (30) :▪ Over-regularizations


Is language capability innate or learned?

1. Behavourist theory: B.F. Skinner (Nurture) Children acquire language through imitation of adults &

positive/ negative reinforcement (stimulus-response associations)▪ Produce random approximations to adult speech & random

errors and learn correct response through reinforcement

However, fails to explain Why native speakers have the capacity to produce and

understand an indefinitely large number of sentences never heard before

Only speaks to performance of language and not language competence

Spontaneous use of grammatical rules that have not been heard

Universal stages of language development


Children are programmed to learn language Language acquisition device (LAD) allows children to

acquire language quickly and effortlessly

Support for theory We have a variety of structures that specialized for

spoken language Same ease of acquisition across cultures and home

environments Linguistic universals Built in tendency to develop language (e.g., four deaf

children ) Infinite number of sentences– thus children can not learn

through imitation Argues that children do not make random errors, and

learn language in a orderly fashion – and apply rules ( e.g., produce “thinked” but do not hear this word usage)

E.g., love/ loved----- give/ gived ------ have to learn to use the irregular form (gave)


Critics of Chomsky: Vague concept- What is LAD? How does LAD

work? Parents do provide corrective feedback

Interactionist theories assert biology and environment both contribute

to the development of language Humans are well equipped for learning language

and social exchanges with parents play critical role ▪ Cognitive▪ Social communication theories▪ Emergentist theories


Early research: Project Washoe 1967One of the first attempts to teach ASL to chimpanzee Washoe (1965-2007) Continuous modeling and repetition with positive

reinforcement Some evidence that Washoe could combine sings in novel

ways Critics argue sentences produced were product of imitation

and operant conditioning (not generative)

Newer research: Kanzi (bonobo) – taught language through keyboard and

lexigrams Later learnt to use ASL has demonstrated understanding the words and their

relation to one another! Kanzi kanzi2Koko (gorilla) – ASL koko


Animal communication systems possess semanticity (sounds carry meaning) & limited arbitrariness & creativity Example: Chimpanzee signaling system (distress warning calls) “rruap” sound- eagle warning “chutter” sound- snake “chirp” sound- leopard

But animal communication system is limited & do not exhibit

the characteristics of human language: Lack ▪ Flexibility▪ Displacement▪ Complexity

Moreover, language capabilities in apes no comparison to human linguistic predisposed abilities (e.g., ease and speed in which children learn language)


Acquired language disorder (lesion to the brain) resulting in an impairment in any language modality: Production of speech Comprehension of speech Writing Reading

Aphasia describes a number of related, but separate problems with language:--Impaired ability to formulate, retrieve, or decode symbols of language

Word finding difficulties most common problem

Anomia- word finding difficulties

Speech Errors Paraphasias--- unintentional substitution of word/non

word for intended word (ex: semantic, phonological)▪ Example:

cat---- dogdogmilt---milk milk

Jargon--- fluent utterances devoid of meaning


Fluent aphasia Lesions to posterior language areas responsible

for reception and analysis of stimuli: understanding speech)

Impairments mostly related to reception (input) of language – comprehension impairments

▪ Wernicke’s aphasia▪ Anomic aphasia▪ Conduction aphasia

13/10/2010 27

Non-Fluent Aphasia Damage to anterior language areas responsible

for language output (production)

Difficulty with articulation (initiation of movement), but comprehension relatively good– production impairments▪ Broca’s aphasia▪ Mixed aphasia▪ Global aphasia

13/10/2010 28

Reception of stimuli and analysis from the outside world

Input of language

Speech movement and initiation

Output

Wernicke’sBroca’s

13/10/2010 29

Well this is … mother is away here working her work out o' here to get her better, but when she's looking, the two boys looking in the other part. One their small tile into here time here. She's working another time because she's getting to. So two boys work together and one is sneakin' around here, making his work an' his further funnas his time he had.

13/10/2010 30

Most severe form fluent aphasia Poor comprehension Jargon – Incomprehensible and incoherent

utterances that are fluent, well articulated, and phonologically correct

Press of speech Neologisms (create new words) Content of writing is disturbed Reading out loud—poor Better preserved reading comprehension Repetition difficulties Poor monitoring of errors in speechVideo Clip--13/10/2010 31

Mildest form aphasia Normal language but problems with word-

retrieval (naming) Auditory and reading comprehension are usually

normal or only mildly impaired Repetition better that spontaneous speech

13/10/2010 32

Comprehension of language is good, speech is fluent but with errors (paraphasia) Inclusion of incorrect sounds “Sutie for Suzie” Inappropriate words “table for chair” Unsuccessful correction attempts

Impaired repetition Reading and writing are usually good Damage to connections between speech

production and speech comprehension areas

13/10/2010 33

video clip

13/10/2010 34

Difficulties with word-retrieval (naming) Comprehension is better Labored speech (effortful) Slow rate Agrammatism

Omit small grammatical elements▪ the, is, -ing, -ed (“Walk dog”)

Repetition difficulties Writing impaired – usually right arm-leg paralysis Often aware of their difficulties

13/10/2010 35

Both anterior and posteriors speech areas

Mixed aphasia Comprehension and production Less than moderately severe

Global Severe production and comprehension

impairments Few utterances

13/10/2010 36

Problem Solving: active efforts to discover what must be done to achieve a goal that is not readily attainable- overcome obstacles to reach a goal


Problems inducing structure E.g., Series completion E.g., Analogy

Problems of arrangement E.g., Anagram E.g., Two string problem

Problems of transformation E.g., Water jug problem▪ Clip


Focus on irrelevant information

The Lee family has five brothers, and each brother has one sister. If you count Mrs. Lee, how many females are in the Lee family?

What is the irrelevant information?


Functional fixedness E.g., Candle

problem


Unnecessary constraints E.g., nine dot problem


Mental set/ negative set

E.g., water jug

Problem

A B C Desired amount

1 14 163 25 99

2 18 43 10 5

3 9 42 6 21

4 23 49 3 20


Confirmation bias Inclination to only use evidence that “fits” one’s

preconceived notions Availability heuristic

Judging the likelihood or probability of events based on ease relevant examples come to mind

Representative heuristic Tendency to estimate the probability of

something based on how well the circumstances match our previous prototype (e.g., coin toss: HTTHHT or HHHHT)


Algorithms Specific rule/solution/procedure that is guaranteed to bring the

correct answer (e.g., formula)

Heuristic A strategy, or guiding principle used to solve problems or

making decisions (does not guarantee the correct answer!)

Insight (“Aha moment”) Come suddenly without warning, often after overcoming

problem barrier to problem solving

Analogy (heuristic)- insight arises when use an already-solved problem that is

similar to a current problem and can be adapted to the new solution (understanding the relationship between two similar problems



Increase domain knowledge Follow a systematic plan Draw inferences Develop subgoals (heuristic) Work backward (heuristic) Search for relationships between

problems


Documents

Guest Lecture: Rozanne Wilson (BA Hons), PhD Candidate Department of Speech-Language Pathology University of Toronto Email: [email protected]