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Functional Approaches

Functional approaches view language as a tool for communication that must be adapted to different situations. They focus on the deeper functional levels of meaning constructed through social interaction, cognitive development, and how children learn language structures based on their conceptual understanding of the world rather than superficial rules. Functionalists assert that language acquisition depends on choosing language to meet the needs of a situation, facilitated by social interaction between children and competent language users.

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Ivanna Quinton Piegas
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935 views9 pages

Functional Approaches

Functional approaches view language as a tool for communication that must be adapted to different situations. They focus on the deeper functional levels of meaning constructed through social interaction, cognitive development, and how children learn language structures based on their conceptual understanding of the world rather than superficial rules. Functionalists assert that language acquisition depends on choosing language to meet the needs of a situation, facilitated by social interaction between children and competent language users.

Uploaded by

Ivanna Quinton Piegas
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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FUNCTIONAL APPROACHES

LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
Functionalism, in linguistics,
the approach to language stud
y that is concerned with the
functions performed
by language.
A functional approach asserts
that we need to learn how to
choose our language to meet
the particular needs of a
situation.
In most accounts, the
primary purpose of language is
to facilitate communication, in
the sense of transmission of
information from one person to
another.
Nativist vs Functional approaches
NATIVIST

Propose generative rules: abstract,


formal, explicit and quite logical.
Deal with the forms of language.
(morphemes, words, rules, etc.)
Pivot word.
Functional approach
 Cognition and language development:
 Bloom and Slobin. 1970’s-1980’s
 Deal with the deeper functional levels of meaning
constructed from social interaction. (suggestion,
criticism, disagreement, etc.)
 Context: children learn structures, not a superficial
word order.
 Cognitive development (how children think, explore and
figure things out)
 Interaction with their environment, developing cognitive
capacities and their linguistic experienc
Gleitman and Wanner: Chidlren
appear to approach language learning
equipped with conceptual interpretative
abilities for categorizing the world.

Semantic learning depends on


cognitive development, information-
processing capacities.
 Social Interaction and Language
Development:
 Holzman. 1980’s.

“A reciprocal behavioural system operates


between the language-developing infant-
child and the competent language user in
a socializing-teaching-nurturing role.”
Useful information:

Discourse: the conversations and the


meaning behind them by a group of people
who hold certain ideas in common.
Linguistic conventions.

Conversational cues.

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