Psychology Colloquia

Abstract:: What role does the timing of language exposure play in the development of complex language? On some accounts anyone can learn any language so long as they try hard enough and immerse themselves in it. On other accounts any and all language acquisition is solely determined by its timing in human development. Yet other accounts propose that certain linguistic structures are unlearnable at older ages while some structures are age independent. In this talk I summarize a series of psycholinguistic experiments conducted in sign and spoken languages showing that the answer lies not in linguistic structure but in learning ability. Exposure to language in early life appears to create the ability to learn languages across modalities, as in signed and spoken languages, and cross-linguistically, as in second languages. Critically, language deprivation in early life stunts the ability to learn complex linguistic structures in any language across modalities.
About the Speaker:: Dr. Mayberry investigates critical period effects on language development and processing with the goal of constructing a model of language comprehension that takes into account the factors of experience in early life and sensory-motor modality. She studies first- and second-language acquisition of signed and spoken languages begun at varying ages and asks whether and how this affects language processing and reading proficiency in adulthood using ASL (American sign Language), LSQ (Langue des signes québécoise), English and French. She is also fascinated by the gesture used by children and adults as they speak spontaneously and thinks that the study of gesture can reveal a great deal about the structure and processing of language and thought.

For More Information About This Speaker:

http://ling.ucsd.edu/~rmayberry/
Dr. Mayberry's website.

University of California, San Diego
Homepage Calendar Directions Past Events Psych Homepage UCSD Homepage	The Department of Psychology is Honored to Present a Talk by Rachel I. Mayberry University of California, San Diego "Is there a Critical Period for Language? Nature and Nurture in Complex Language Development." Presented on October 12, 2006 Location: The Crick Conference Room Mandler Hall, room 3545 Abstract: What role does the timing of language exposure play in the development of complex language? On some accounts anyone can learn any language so long as they try hard enough and immerse themselves in it. On other accounts any and all language acquisition is solely determined by its timing in human development. Yet other accounts propose that certain linguistic structures are unlearnable at older ages while some structures are age independent. In this talk I summarize a series of psycholinguistic experiments conducted in sign and spoken languages showing that the answer lies not in linguistic structure but in learning ability. Exposure to language in early life appears to create the ability to learn languages across modalities, as in signed and spoken languages, and cross-linguistically, as in second languages. Critically, language deprivation in early life stunts the ability to learn complex linguistic structures in any language across modalities. About the Speaker: Dr. Mayberry investigates critical period effects on language development and processing with the goal of constructing a model of language comprehension that takes into account the factors of experience in early life and sensory-motor modality. She studies first- and second-language acquisition of signed and spoken languages begun at varying ages and asks whether and how this affects language processing and reading proficiency in adulthood using ASL (American sign Language), LSQ (Langue des signes québécoise), English and French. She is also fascinated by the gesture used by children and adults as they speak spontaneously and thinks that the study of gesture can reveal a great deal about the structure and processing of language and thought. For More Information About This Speaker: http://ling.ucsd.edu/~rmayberry/ Dr. Mayberry's website.
Researchers and the general public are both welcome to attend the Psychology department's colloquia. Reservations are not required, and admission is free. If you have any questions regarding the department's colloquium series, then please write to colloquia@psy.ucsd.edu