£3 Importance of Language + Language serves a central role in our daily lives. + It's hard to imagine going through an entire day without using language. + How would you ask? If you need. ® Importance of Language * Language is everywhere in human society, across every culture. + people consider language as a effortiess ability + Language as an important important part of thoughts® Importance of Language * language is not a simple thing—it is actually quite complex and we need to be able to use it quickly. + minor delays during the processing of language cause problems Rationale for Studying Psycholinguistics + Language is more complicated than it might first appear. * Let's start with an analogy—walking around * But can you explain exactly how it works?Rationale for Studying Psycholinguistics * It's easy to do but hard to explain + Language is very much the same—its function is easy to master (when you're young), but hard to explain. * And, like walking, we have a lot to gain by understanding it. Rationale for Studying Psycholinguistics + The centrality of language + Causes of disruptionRationale for Studying Psycholinguistics The disruption may be relatively small * perhaps difficulty in finding the right word + or understanding very complex or unusual language. But, it can also be quite severe + —from a complete loss of nearly all language to a particular difficulty with production, * or understanding even fairly simple sentences. Rationale for Studying Psycholinguistics * research on how this breakdown occurs can help us better understand how to help restore language function. Research on how language processing works in a fully functioning system is very important as well So, by understanding how language works and how we are able to use it, we can understand a vital yet complex part of our daily lives.What is Psycholinguistics? s What is psycholinguists? As the name suggests, it is a branch of linguistics in which someone studies any phenomena in the intersection of linguistics and psychology. But this does not really answer the question So, first—what is linguistics? It's the scientific study of language. Psychology? The scientific study of human behavior and cognition (i.e. how we think). What is Psycholinguistics? s The union of these two fields is principally concerned with the processing and knowledge representations that underlie the ability to; use language ‘and how they relate to other aspects of human cognition.What is Psycholinguistics? In short, psycholinguistics asks the question: + How itis that people are able, moment-by-moment, to produce and understand language? ‘And, by extension, + How do children come to have this ability? + How and why it is sometimes impaired after brain damage? Psycholinguistics: Definition(s) = Definitions: + The study of the relationships between linguistic behavior and psychological processes, including the process of language acquisition. + Psycholinguistics or psychology of language is the study of the interrelation between linguistic factors and psychological aspects. + Psycholinguistics is the study of how individuals comprehend, produce, and acquire language.Psycholing ‘Ss and Other Disciplinesiincuisics: is alittle bit misleading + we need expertise not only from linguistics and psychology but also from other scientific fields ® Psycholinguistics and Other DisCiplineScnoinguistcs is a part of the field of cognitive science. + The whole endeavor of psycholinguistics often finds a home in the broader research field of cognitive science * an interdisciplinary field that addresses the difficult question of how animals, people, and even computers think.Psycholing ‘Ss and Other Disciplines + Psycholinguistics is also concerned with psychological and neurobiological factors The discipline is mainly concerned with the mechanisms in which languages are processed and represented in the mind and brain, Modern research makes use of biology, neuroscience, cognitive science, linguistics, and information science to study how the mind-brain processes language. ® Psycholinguistics: Some Important PADEBuistics 1s concemed with the cognitive faculties and processes * that are necessary in order for grammatical forms of language to be produced from a mental grammar and the lexicon. + It is also concerned with the perception of these constructions by a listener.Psycholing s: Some Important = -REINE of anguage and the cognitive processes involved in ordinary language use. + Psycholinguists are also interested in the social rules. * Contemporary interest in psycholinguistics began in the 1950s. ® The Scope of Psycholinguistics aim of psycholinguistics is * * to find out about the structures and processes which underlie a human's ability to speak and understand language”, Psycholinguistics involves: * Language processing * Lexical storage and retrieval + Language acquisitionThe Scope of Psycholinguistics (conti ) Psycholinguistics also studies + Special circumstances + The brain and language * Second language acquisition and use ® Doing Psycholinguistics Practically * A psycholinguist studies the way humans learn, understand, and use language. + Psycholinguists also examine the effects that the use of language has on human social dynamicsDoing Psycholinguistics Practically = + The field of psycholinguistics spans several related topic areas, including cognitive psychology, behavioural neuroscience, and psychological disorders. + In addition, a psycholinguist might find himself specializing in specific areas of study, such as semantics, phonology, and speech therapy. Doing Psycholinguistics Practically = + In general, a psycholinguist dissects every aspect of human language and attempts to produce practical applications for his findings. + An expert trained in the field studies both written and spoken language, the progression of words in a statement, and the manner in which an idea is expressed.® Doing Psycholinguistics Practically + Shefhe then applies existing psychological theories to his/her ‘observation in an effort to gain a fuller understanding of how people adapt language for their purposes. + The entire field can be broken down into specific areas of interest, each with its own uses in working towards scientific and social progress. Reference Book(s) * Cowles, H. Wind, 2011. Psycholinguistics 101 + Warren, P. (2013). Introducing psycholinguistics. Cambridge University Press.