Languages Among Us

1

Nicole Miller

Languages Among Us

Progressive Essay

By: Nicole Miller

12/07/04

LLSS 493

Languages are all around us. Communication exists where ever beings exist. A whale can speak to another whale, an ant to another ant, a lion to another lion. The communication between species to same species is very important. Some species can even communicate somewhat to a different species. A human can communicate to a dog with “Sit,” “Stay,” “Good boy!” etc. As communication is very important to the world, language gives humans the ability to communicate to one another on a much more organized way. In the human world, language is all around us.

What is language?

What is a language? Language is a system for communication. According to Lessow-Hurley (2000), language is organized and structured by a set of rules. These rules work toward a function of communication. “Language is one of the most important means we have to communicate with one another” (de Valenzuela, 2004, p. 126). Language gives us the ability to let others know our thoughts and connect with various types of communication. “Language is an orderly combination of conventional symbols. The symbols are the words we use to label the objects, actions and ideas that we perceive in out reality” (Lessow-Hurley, 2000, p. 27). Society decides the meaning of symbols and what they represent.

There are five systems that create the foundation of language. These systems include the Phonological System, the Morphological System, Syntax, Semantics, and Pragmatics. The Phonological System is “the sound system of a language” (Lessow-Hurley, 2000, p. 28) such as “c l a s s r o o m” or “e c h o e d” where each letter makes a sound (whether voiced or voiceless). The Morphological System is the structure of a word like “Group + s = groups” which changes the word. “Morphemes are meaningful units” (Lessow-Hurley, 2000, p.28) from a word. Syntax is the construction of a sentence such as “The balloon blew in the air” vs. “The air blew the balloon”. Semantics describe what any word means like “Bear” and “Bear”. Both words are spelled the same but have two different meanings such as “Bear down the hatchet” or “The bear attacked the people.” Pragmatics is the “use of language in social contexts” (Lessow-Hurley, 2000, p. 30). An example of pragmatics is the term “Shut up!” This term means, “To be quiet” but can also mean “WOW!” or “Really!” among the younger generations in the United States. Different social groups understand the meaning. Another example of pragmatics is the sentence

“Do you have the time?” When hearing this sentence, a person who knows the pragmatics of the certain language might reply “6:30 pm” while a person unfamiliar with the pragmatics might reply “Yes.” These systems make up language.

Language also includes paralinguistic mechanisms and nonlinguistic behaviors to communicate thought. Paralinguistic mechanisms involve “intonation, stress, rate of speech, and pauses or hesitations” (Lessow-Hurley, 2000, p. 30) while nonlinguistic behaviors involve “gestures, facial expressions, and body language” (Lessow-Hurley, 2000, p. 30). It is challenging to identify attitudes without these mechanisms and behaviors.

Language is very important to any society. People need to be able to communicate with each other and language maintains this. I am using language right now to describe language.

What does it mean to “know” a language?

What does it mean to “know” a language? A person knows a language when they understand the language. “Children with limited English proficiency should eventually attain proficiency after receiving adequate bilingual education or English as a Second Language (ESL instruction,” (Schiff-Myers, Djukic, McGovern-Lawler, & Perez, 1993, p. 237). “Language evolves within specific historical, social, and cultural contexts,” (American Speech Language-Hearing Association, 1982). To understand a language, he/she must comprehend and appreciate the culture of that language. The culture of a language includes values, beliefs, customs, etc. Socialization plays a big role in grasping a language. “Through the process of socialization, children take on the beliefs, feelings, and behaviors appropriate to their particular role in their own culture” (Ely and Gleason, 1995, pp 251). They adapt to the culture so that they are accepted in society as a citizen. We are “formatted” to act a certain way and speak a certain way.

I could say that I understand sign language. I have studied it for two years and know most of the vocabulary and sentence structure. I can comprehend the Deaf culture and what is and is not acceptable. As I can say I “grasp” sign language, I cannot say that I “know” the language. I can talk comfortable to a deaf person. I still get nervous though and I do not recognize many signs while talking to a deaf person. I have to ask the person to slow down, sign again, fingerspell it, etc. I can speak it and somewhat understand it. I have acquired it, but I am not proficient in it until many more years of studying it. I do not know the language. This will take much more time.

When interviewing my Second Language Learner Betty previous in class, I asked her what she thought it meant to know a language. She replied that to her, knowing a language meant being able to speak about anything, anytime, anywhere, without any trouble. I believe that Betty is right. Knowing a language means knowing more than the language itself. “Effective use of language for communication requires a broad understanding of human interaction including such associated factors as nonverbal cues, motivation, and sociocultural roles,” (American Speech Language-Hearing Association, 1982). Besides the grammar and syntax and morphemes, social and world understanding must also be present.

How do children develop their first language? How does the information you have learned from the readings and class presentations differ from commonly held beliefs about how children develop their first language?

How do children develop their first language? There are many theories about how a child develops his/her first language. These theories are: the Behaviorist theory, the Nativist theory, and the Language Socialization theory. These theories are very different from one another and not one is proven wrong. Each theory has its good points.

The Behaviorist theory hypothesizes that children learn language after watching, observing, and imitating behavior. “Speaking (and understanding speech) must be brought under the control of stimuli in the environment by imitation, reinforcement, and successive approximations of mature performance (known as shaping)” (Bohannon III and Bonvillian, 2001, pp. 259). This theory is supported by many people.

Behaviorists believe that language is learned by classical conditioning or “the process of forming such associations” (Bohannon III and Bonvillian, 2001. p. 259) comparable to Pavlar’s experiment on dogs. Pavlar conditioned the dogs so that every time he would ring a bell, they would be feed. Then, he would ring the bell, and the dogs would salivate because they knew they were going to be fed. Language is learned by environmental stimulus. Operant conditioning focuses on positive reinforcement. Behaviorism has a strong claim.

Another theory in “knowing” a language is the nativist theory. This theory states that a baby is born with the ability to learn a language. “All infants come into the world with linguistic skills” (Pinker, 1994, p. 263). Pinker goes on to state that children follow speech patterns naturally. Every two hours vocabulary gains a word. Pinker states, “Words are usually produced in isolation” (Pinker, 1994, p. 266). Nativism is supported by the belief that “Wherever humans exist, language exists” (from Fromkin & Rodman, 1988, p. 18-19, as cited in de Valenzuela, 1998, pp. 125-126). Nativism was supported awhile ago but fans, but also has a strong argument.

The third theory is Language Socialization. Children learn language and respect in their society. The primary influence on a child’s behavior and values in a child’s language is parents. Parents teach pragmatics by teaching what a child should say and not say such as asking an older woman how old she is. Children are told what to say through instructions and guidance. “In addition to children being told what to say (and later what to write) in the classroom, they are socialized indirectly in ongoing verbal interactions with teachers,” (Ely and Gleason, 1995, p 266). Ely and Gleason go on to state, “Socialization through language is ubiquitous. In verbal interactions with parents, siblings, teachers, and peers, and through observing media such as television, children are exposed to and absorb many of the important values and beliefs of their communities,” (Ely and Gleason, 1995, p 270).

I agree with aspects of all three theories. I cannot choose to agree with one or the other because they all make compelling thoughts. “These theories have influenced how we teach second/foreign languages. They have influenced theories of second language development,” (de Valenzuela, 2004, class-notes 09/28/04). Children do have the ability to learn language when they are born, but to develop this ability, the child must imitate and observe to learn. Children are involved in their own language development. Children cannot learn language without interacting and cooperating with others. They are “active participants” in learning a language. Language is learned by understanding its society and culture. It teaches children to be members of society.

What are some important concepts/notions/theories that you have learned about second language development? How do they influence your ideas about practice? Refer to both assigned readings and class presentations in your answer.

There are many important concepts/notions/theories about second language development. Every child has the ability to learn a second language at the young age. After age three, it gets harder and harder to learn a second language. Many people are second language learners. The theories on second language learners are interesting.

Lily Wong’s theory states, “The more sociable the child the greater the time spent interacting with peers,” (Wong Fillmore, 1991a, p 50). There are three major components for second language learning: learners, speakers of the target language, and a social setting. Learners are trying to learn the target language; speakers of the target language can help the learners in a suitable social setting like a classroom. “Variable such as personality, social style, social competence, motivation, and attitudes in both learners and speaker of the target language can affect language learning,” (Wong Fillmore, 1991a, p 66.). She states that there are three types of process: social, linguistic, and cognitive, (Wong Fillmore, 1991a, p. 52-53). The learner also needs to be motivated to learn the second language.

Research shows that “students acquire their second language better when they have a firm foundation in their native language,” (de Valenzuela & Niccolai, 2004, p. 138). There are two categories that second language is divided into. These categories are concurrent language (the infant develops two languages at birth) and sequential language (the person develops his/her second language after age three, plus or minus). Both languages are equal; one will not be in risk in losing the other language, (de Valenzuela & Niccolai, 2004, p. 139). All languages are equal.

Stephen Krashen had some theories on second language development. He has three ideas for bilingual education. Submersion (sink or swim) is the process where “non-English proficient children are simple placed in the same classroom as native English speakers and the regular curriculum is followed,” (Krashen, 1994, p 49). This process can “drown” the child. The child is overcome with English and it is too much for him/her. The second process is Submersion + ESL. This is the process where non-English proficient children are put in a separate class to learn English for an hour a day or so. The rest of the day they are in the classroom with native English speakers. This still drowns the child. Submersion kills the child’s native language because there is not enough support for it. All day they learn English and risk the chance of losing their native language. By the fourth grade, most students in the U.S. lose their native language and English takes over, (de Valenzuela, 2004, classnotes 11/23/04. Also,

“The dilemma facing immigrant children, however, may be viewed as less a problem of learning English than of primary language loss. While virturally all children who attend American schools learn English, most of them are at risk of losing their primary languages as they do so,” (Wong Fillmore, 1996, p 203).

Krashen’s third theory is immersion:

“Immersion typically refers to programs in which majority language children are instructed in a second language, that is, programs in which subject matter is taught in a second language such as Spanish or French…Typically, immersion students receive all instruction in the second language, with exception of language arts in the first language,” (Krashen, 1994, p. 50).

With this process, there is no threat on losing the native language.

Earlier I had stated that I have acquired sign language for 2 years but I am not proficient in it. This goes for the same with non-English proficient learners. Jim Cummins states, “There is little doubt that many language minority students can develop a relatively high degree of English conversational skills within about two years of exposure to English-speaking peers, television, and schooling,” (Cummins, 1994, p. 7). “Cummins (1981b) also reported that five to seven years were required for immigrant students form non-English-speaking background to catch up academically in English proficiency,” (Cummins, 1994, p. 12). A person can have a language acquired and can speak the language in a conversation in two years but cannot be proficient in it for another three to five years. This is often the misconception about the nature of language proficiency.