24.904 Language Acquisition
Spring 2017
Instructor: Loes Koring
TA: Colin P Davis
Lecture: MW10-11.30 (56-162)
Information:
In this course we will investigate how language is acquired. The language system native speakers possess is highly intricate and it is very puzzling that young (typically-developing) children acquire this system seemingly effortlessly in a relatively short amount of time (in contrast to adult second language learners). We will start out from the problem of language acquisition and look at the type of evidence available to the child in acquiring her native language. We will then attempt to characterize the developmental path in detail. In doing this, we will start out from the smallest units, the sounds of the language, but the majority of lectures will discuss topics in the acquisition of syntax and semantics. Wo will look at spontaneous production data as well as data from controlled experiments.
In general, the course may be looked on as a rigorous
introduction to the study of the development of syntactic and
semantic structure. Anybody completing this course should have a
well-developed idea of the central results and issues in the field
of language acquisition.
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