Question 1

What general developmental progression does infants' sound production follow?

Accepted Answer

A)  Among consonants from labials and dentals to velars. 
B)  Among vowels from back vowels like /u/ to front vowels like /o/. 
C)  Among consonants from velars to dentals. 
D)  Among vowels from front vowels like /i/ to back vowels like /a/.

Question 2

Which of the following statements is true according to Chomsky's notion of a universal grammar?

Accepted Answer

A)  A Chinese infant adopted by a French family will speak French with a Chinese grammar. 
B)  A Chinese infant adopted by a French family will speak Chinese with a French grammar. 
C)  A Chinese infant adopted by a French family will speak French with a French grammar. 
D)  A Chinese infant adopted by a French family will speak Chinese with a Chinese grammar.

Question 3

What are possible benefits of child-directed speech?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are possible benefits of child-directed speech?...

Question 4

Which is the subfield of linguistics that examines the rules by which everyday language is used?

Accepted Answer

A)  Phonology. 
B)  Syntax. 
C)  Semantics. 
D)  Pragmatics.

Question 5

In a study by Fernald (1993), 5-month-old children of English-speaking parents were presented with approval and prohibition vocalizations in infant-directed (ID) and adult-directed (AD) English, and in ID speech in nonsense English and unfamiliar languages. Infants showed small but significant differences in facial affect in response to ID vocalizations in every language. Infants smiled more to approvals, and when they showed negative affect, it was more likely to occur in response to prohibitions. Infants did not show differential affect in response to approvals and prohibitions in AD speech. Discuss the implications of these results for our understanding of language processing in infancy.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In a study by Fernald (1993), 5-month-old...

Question 6

What is the principles and parameters approach?

Accepted Answer

A)  All languages share a set of basic rules and grammars vary in only a restricted number of ways. 
B)  The development of language acquisition is governed by the same principles and parameters around the world. 
C)  Infants apply a fixed set of principles and parameters to learn language. 
D)  Parents use certain implicit principles and parameters to teach their children their native language.

Question 7

What is the purpose of babbling?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the purpose of babbling?...

Question 8

Where does the English word "infant" come from?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Middle English word "in+fare" meaning "stationary". 
B)  The Greek word "infantos" meaning "nursing". 
C)  The Latin word "in+fans" meaning "non-speaker". 
D)  The Germanic word "infants" meaning "to carry".

Question 9

Which of the following statements is true about deaf infants' language acquisition?

Accepted Answer

A)  Deaf infants use unstructured sign language that does not resemble spoken language. 
B)  Deaf infants are not driven to produce language. 
C)  Deaf infants produce their first signed words much later than hearing infants produce their first spoken word. 
D)  Deaf infants who are not taught any sign language develop signs that refer to objects, people, and actions.

Question 10

What type of pre-speech vocalization are 7-10-month-old infants most likely to engage in?

Accepted Answer

A)  Crying. 
B)  Cooing. 
C)  Canonical babbling. 
D)  Intonated babbling.

Question 11

When do many infants experience a vocabulary burst?

Accepted Answer

A)  Around 6 months. 
B)  Around their first birthday. 
C)  During the latter half of the second year. 
D)  After their second birthday.

Question 12

Which of the following statements is true about babbling?

Accepted Answer

A)  Infants start to babble during their first month of life. 
B)  Infants' babbling is universal. 
C)  Infants' babbling depends on the language they hear. 
D)  Infants babble to communicate distress.

Exam 9: Language Development in Infancy