Steven Pinker The Language Instinct Summary

In the essay “A Language All Their Own,” Nathan Salha (2011) claimed that trademarks should be used “only to protect intellectual invention and the reputations of associated companies,” and Salha wrote that trademarked slogans only exist to regulate the usage of creative slogans among businesses and that they do not limit the freedom of speech (p. 476). Furthermore, Salha (2011) argued that trademarked slogans protect businesses and promote competition by allowing each business to customize its advertisements and distinguish its product from the products of its competitors with clever slogans (p. 477). Moreover, Salha (2011) asserted that trademarked slogans protect consumers by allowing consumers to distinguish high-quality products, which

Have you ever wondered how we speak? How about why our communication is considered a language and other animal’s communication is not considered language? A wide range of beliefs exist on what defines language. Thus, by exploring the definition of language and lexicon, evaluating language’s key features, the four levels of language structure and processing, and the role of language in Cognitive Psychology, an understanding of what language is becomes clear. Let us begin by defining language and a term named lexicon.

Language can fill a story with vivid details and show emotion throughout words. The words we use make our imagination bigger and opens up a new experience. Only words can make us feel connect with other people. How we view words depends on how we think and express ourselves.

The film “The Linguists” follows linguists Gregory Anderson and David Harrison on their journey to learn about and document endangered languages in Bolivia, India, Arizona, and Siberia. Through their quest, they are able to interact with some of the few remaining speakers of languages that are near death and they manage to make an impact on how these communities view their heritage language. Focusing on the moribund languages of Siberia and Arizona, it becomes evident that speakers of the heritage language feel a love for the language and the culture it represents, but went through periods of oppression and embarrassment for being speakers of a minority language that ultimately shaped their attitudes on the language.

I think the main idea of the reading is that everyone does have an accent even though you don’t think you have an accent when you speak to others around you. The person you speak with will think you have an accent but you, yourself don’t think so. John Esling stated in the reading that there is two different types of accents, one is the ‘foreign’ accent where someone speaks a language using the sound of another language, for example someone has trouble on pronouncing some of the sounds of a second language that they are trying to learn. The other accent is the way of a group of people speaking their own native language. Like a foreigner you met, their accent can determined where they live and what social groups that they might belong to. For example, you grow up to share the way of speaking or accent with the community you grow up with, which will be

According to Susanne K. Langer in the essay “Language and Thought,” an essential difference between animals and humans is the way humans think in symbols and signs, instead of just solely relying on signs. Langer suggests that thinking in signs, which is something both humans and animals share in common, is a process that leads us to react instinctively to the physical presence of that sign. Signs are very much a direct cause to a particular effect. It seems that to learn a sign you simply must be conditioned to respond certain ways to a specific observation. Symbols, though, are exclusively human devices of language that provoke thoughts about a particular thing. The use of symbols has allowed humans to reach much more complex levels of thought,

The main concept in chapter five are as follows: the nature of langue, appreciating the power of words, the use and abuse of language, and creating a positive communication climate. In the first section of the nature of language are verbal statements. Language has denotative and connotative meaning. In the second part of appreciating the power of words we learn that naming things or people give it an identity. Words can get people to act in a certain way. In the third unit of the use and abuse of language we discover that humor relies on a breach of beliefs. In the last segment of creating a positive communication climate we learn that when we use I-statements we are taking ownership of our thoughts and feelings.

Language is a tool that may be used in thinking, but it isn’t the sole basis of

No matter where you are in the world, you are taught about language. Whether it’s in your home learning your language or in school trying to learn a foreign language. Although while learning language the notion is never really thought about or brought up that the language and way we speak can influence the way we think and interact. Phycologist and neuroscientist alike have spent years, with multiple different tests to see if there is a connection between the various languages that are spoken and the way people not only think but also how they go about their daily lives. She writes to not only her colleagues and neuroscientists but also to anyone in the general public that is genuinely interested in the connection between

Language is a cognitive function that most of us take for granted. It starts from early on, some say at conception, and it develops in complexity as we get older. It is an essential part of communication and without it its development would be greatly hindered. This natural process requires complex structures and reasoning, the bringing together of sounds and words to develop concrete ideas and thoughts. In this paper we will discuss the components of language and how it relates to cognitive processes.

Taken together I do think linguistic processes are obtrusive in most fundamental domains of thought, unconsciously shaping us from the nuts and bolts of observation and perception to major life decisions.

“Language shapes the way we think, and determines what we can think about.” – Benjamin Lee Whorf

Linguistics has impacted cognitive psychology as the quest to understand language acquisition and the structure of language itself is undertaken. Linguistics is a complex and multifaceted; it includes language structural patterns and language development (Barsalou, 2005). The process of language development is complicated and dense, as the study of language is examined; the role of cognition is inherently examined and analyzed. Sternberg (2006) also explores language as an innate process and presents the idea that humans are born ready for language as a biological and cognitive process.

People can think without language because thinking is not just conducted by language. There are limits in language, but thoughts are limitless. Language can be described as medium of which thoughts are directed but to a particular extent, which is decided by the person and not by the language.

Pinker’s theories fall somewhere in between the two camps but lean more to the rationalist side, as he believes that language is primarily innate. However, he also partly aligns with the connectionist views, believing language relies on certain outside cues at times. Pinker asserts that words are memorized links between a sound and a meaning. The word “pig”, for example, does not look, act, or oink like a pig, but once a person links the sound with the idea, he has formed an association. Humans also combine words