Glossary

constructions

learned pairings of form and function that allow speakers to apply their linguistic knowledge to new situations and experiences.

grammaticalised

or grammaticalisation, a process of language change where typically content words take on grammatical roles.

harmony

a process where phonemes change to become more like the sounds around them.

inhibitory control

the ability to suppress interfering thoughts or actions.

morphology

the conventions governing how units smaller than a word are put together to make meaning, for example dog + s = more than one dog. Sometimes the morphological and grammatical systems combined are referred to as morphosyntax.

phonology

The organisation, function and pattern of sounds in a language.

speech errors

nonconventional language use judged as ungrammatical by native speakers.

working memory

a system for temporarily holding and processing information in the mind.

U-shaped curve

describes performance that improves, gets worse and then gets better again.