University of the Assumption
School of Education
Graduate Education
G-C01: Introduction to Linguistics
Research Task #1:
Name: Pangan, Hazel Krinezza M.
Program: MAEd-English
Date: 16 September 2023
Discuss the following questions fully (500-800 words). A minimum of 5
References is required following the APA 7th Edition citation.
1. What is the connection between the Heimlich maneuver and the
development of human speech? (5 points)
An individual who is choking on a foreign object that is clogging their
airway can be helped by the Heimlich maneuver, sometimes referred
to as belly thrusts. It is vital to remember that while it can save lives, it
should only be applied when a person is actually choking and unable to
breathe. On the other hand, the process of how human speech
develops is intricate and intriguing, with many different stages and
turning points. It may include cooing, crying, babbling, gestures and
understanding, fluency, articulation, and many more. However, there is
a connection between these two variables. First of all, Chomsky (2007)
once said that speech, which is the most tangible part of language, is
the most promising area to research within the language (biological)
evolution. Nevertheless, even for speaking, individual facts frequently
contain ambiguous information, therefore there is no there is
agreement on how the available evidence should be interpreted.
Additionally, some experts believe that the physical dynamics of
language are a distinct, unrelated field from the study of its evolution,
making the physical instantiation of language irrelevant. There is also
an auxiliary procedure that has been utilized solely for externalization.
Just like in Heimlich maneuver, it is a way of having a rapport with the
victim. Also, it is also dynamic in nature that one has to ensure the
safety of others while doing the process itself. Second, when a minor
anatomical or cognitive advancement takes place, the language will
reflect this as a result of self-organization. The selective pressure on
either side will then shift as a result the ability for additional
modifications to the cognitive system or the anatomy (De Boer, 2016).
The process requires self-organization where one has to consider how
strong the applied pressure should be. It is the instinct of a medical
expert to have an alert mind all the time. Lastly, both relate to the
larynx's position. Humans can create a wider variety of speech sounds
due to the lower larynx than that of other primates, but this also
increases the risk of choking.
2. The idea that “ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny” was first proposed
by Ernst Haeckel in 1866 and is still frequently used in discussion of
language origins. Can you find a simpler or less technical way to
express this idea? (10 points)
When Ernst Haeckel stated that "ontogeny sums up phylogeny", he
meant that the specific development of each living organism sums up
the development or evolution of the species as a whole. For example,
he would argue that by studying the growth and development of the
human embryo, scientists can gain insight into the development of all
humans. The person describes the process briefly and in less time. The
biological community rejected this notion. However, the notion that
"ontogeny repeats phylogeny" still has some support in theories of
language development. In this context, the term refers to how a child's
language development reflects or summarizes the development of
early peoples. They can watch a young person learn a language,
starting with a few basic words and then adding more and more as
they learn to combine those words into sentences and phrases. In
addition, they observe how the young person picks up grammatical
and syntactic rules through imitation and applies them (at first he
makes mistakes, but then correctly and more effectively). Some
language theorists argue that the way a child learns language,
gradually developing from a few expressions to phrases, sentences,
and rules of grammar and syntax, provides insight into how people first
learn language.
3. What is the connection between the innateness hypothesis and the
idea of a Universal Grammar? (10 points)
The idea that certain features of human language and cognitive
abilities are innate—that is, they are present at birth and not just as a
result of environmental learning or cultural influences—is known in the
fields of linguistics and cognitive science as the "nature hypothesis."
According to this theory, humans have a biological predisposition or
ability to learn language that is hardwired into our brains from birth.
The concept of universal grammar presented by linguist Noam
Chomsky is strongly related to the innate hypothesis. Chomsky argues
that all human languages depend on a single universal grammar that is
part of our genetic makeup. He argued that children have an innate
language ability that guides their language learning, allowing them to
quickly acquire the complex structures and rules of their mother
tongue or languages. The following are the factors that can make these
two terms connected with each other. First is controlling the stimulus. It
refers to the fact that children often receive insufficient and sub
linguistic information despite being able to learn rich and complex
language. This means that children must have natural abilities or
systems to fill in the gaps and interpret input. Second is the critical
period. Some proponents of the innate hypothesis argue that chance
plays an important role in language acquisition. Children's language
learning can deteriorate if they do not receive enough language input
during this crucial period. Third is the proof for linguistic development.
The rapid speed of children's language acquisition, the universality of
some language structures (for example, subject-verb-object-word
order) and the similarity of language development across cultural
boundaries have been presented by researchers to support the innate
hypothesis. Lastly, it is the presence of criticisms and debates. The
idea of childbirth has received a lot of attention, but it is not without
opponents. Some argue that Chomsky's theory underestimates the
extent to which environmental influences affect language
development. The native degree of language and the characteristics of
native language systems are subjects of on-going debate in the fields
of linguistics and cognitive science.
References:
Györgyi, Helga. (February 2008). How Humans Acquire Language. University
of Debrecen. [Link]
Jafet A. Ojeda Rodriguez; Megan Ladd; Dov Brandis. (May 2023). Abdominal
Thrust Maneuver. Touro University California.
[Link]
Patten, J. ( July 2020). ‘Context sensitive grammatical evolution: a novel
attribute grammar based approach to the integration of semantics in
grammatical evolution’, available: [Link]
[accessed 30 Aug 2022].
Pittenger, F. (December 2017). Phylogeny, Psychology, and the Vicissitudes
of Human Development: The Anxiety of Atavism (Doctoral dissertation,
Duquesne University). Retrieved from [Link]
Sengupta, Kanya. (November 1999). Chomsky's mentalistic account of
language, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses
Online: [Link]
