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Related Concept Videos

Language01:16

Language

263
Language is a unique communication system that uses words and systematic rules to organize and transmit information. Unlike other forms of communication, which may involve postures, movements, odors, or vocalizations, language relies on symbols and grammar. This makes human communication distinct from that of other species, who also communicate but do not use language in the same way humans do.
Corballis and Suddendorf (2007) and Tomasello and Rakoczy (2003) highlight the role of language in...
263
Components of Language01:24

Components of Language

345
Language, whether spoken, signed, or written, consists of specific components: lexicon and grammar. The lexicon is the vocabulary of a language, comprising its words. Grammar is the set of rules used to convey meaning through the lexicon. For example, English grammar adds “-ed” to most verbs to indicate past tense. Words are formed by combining phonemes, which are the basic sound units of a language. Different languages have different sets of phonemes (e.g., “ah” vs.
345
Language and Cognition01:27

Language and Cognition

401
Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
401
Language Development01:22

Language Development

420
Children master language quickly and with relative ease, supported by both biological predisposition and reinforcement. B. F. Skinner (1957) proposed that language is learned through reinforcement, while Noam Chomsky (1965) argued that language acquisition mechanisms are biologically determined.
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
420
Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language01:10

Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language

955
Language is a system of communication that allows the expression of thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The brain processes language in both hemispheres.
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
955
Translation01:31

Translation

142.7K
Lesson: Translation
Translation is the process of synthesizing proteins from the genetic information carried by messenger RNA (mRNA). Following transcription, it constitutes the final step in the expression of genes. This process is carried out by ribosomes, complexes of protein and specialized RNA molecules. Ribosomes, transfer RNA (tRNA), and other proteins produce a chain of amino acids—the polypeptide—as the end product of translation.
Translation Produces the Building Blocks of...
142.7K

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 9, 2025

Experimental Paradigm for Measuring the Effect of Induced Emotion on Grammar Learning
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No unleashed expression without language.

Robyn Carston1

  • 1Department of Linguistics, UCL, London WC1N 1PF, UK. robyn.carston@ucl.ac.ukhttps://www.ucl.ac.uk/pals/people/robyn-carston.

The Behavioral and Brain Sciences
|February 17, 2023
PubMed
Summary

Ostensive communication explains human expression but not thought

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Science
  • Linguistics
  • Philosophy of Mind

Background:

  • Ostensive communication, involving shared attention and signaling, facilitates human expression.
  • Existing models explain expression but not the unbounded nature of thought or nested communication structures.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the cognitive underpinnings of open-ended thought and multiply embedded metarepresentation.
  • To differentiate the recursive capacity of human language from its communicative use.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual analysis of metarepresentation and recursion in human cognition.
  • Distinguishing internal language capacities from external, public language systems.

Main Results:

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  • Metarepresentation alone does not account for the open-endedness of thought or nested communication.
  • The recursive nature of human language is essential for these phenomena.

    • Conclusions:

    • Human language's recursivity, distinct from public communication, is key to understanding complex cognition.
    • Recursive language capacity is a prerequisite for unbounded thought and complex metarepresentational structures.