23. Language

Universals of Human Language00:02:28

An overview of core features common to all human languages, including semanticity, recursion, generativity, displacement, arbitrariness, meta-communication, and motherese.

Neurobiology of Language00:14:35

Discussion of brain regions like Broca's area, Wernicke's area, and the arcuate fasciculus. The lecture argues that language is fundamentally about cognitive structure rather than just motoric lips/tongue movement, supported by evidence from American Sign Language.

Language Acquisition and Development00:41:29

A look at the debate between behaviorism (Skinner) and innateness (Chomsky). It covers how infants acquire language, the poverty of stimulus argument, and critical periods for language learning and accents.

Language, Thought, and Culture01:03:07

Exploration of how language influences thought, featuring the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, studies on number systems in Amazonian tribes, and the role of peer groups in language acquisition.

Animal Communication and Language Learning01:12:35

Comparison between human language and animal communication, noting that while animals lack human-like complex language, they show building blocks of semanticity and intentionality. The section concludes with the controversial history of teaching human sign language to apes like Washoe, Koko, and Nim, ending with the promising case of Kanzi.