MetalinguisticsMetalinguistics

DefinitionDefinition It’s a ‘Meta’ It’s a ‘Meta’

– MetacognitionMetacognition– MetalinguisticsMetalinguistics

Theorists:Theorists:– VanKleeckVanKleeck --– ClarkClark --

Emergent-Literacy through Emergent-Literacy through VanKleeckVanKleeck

Metalinguistics Importance Metalinguistics Importance #2#2

Importance: the pinnacle of Importance: the pinnacle of language developmentlanguage development– ability to analyze languageability to analyze language– use ‘higher forms’use ‘higher forms’– oral language-literacy connectionoral language-literacy connection

Aspects ofAspects of MetalinguisticsMetalinguistics #3#3

1. Taxonomies1. Taxonomies– VanKleeck-more literacy focusedVanKleeck-more literacy focused– Clark more language focused Clark more language focused

2. Comprises2. Comprises 1. Meta-components1. Meta-components

meta p,p,s,s meta p,p,s,s 2. Performatives2. Performatives

– humorhumor– figurative languagefigurative language

idiomsidioms proverbsproverbs metaphors similesmetaphors similes

3. Emergent Literacy3. Emergent Literacy

Clark’s Taxonomy, 1.6-Clark’s Taxonomy, 1.6-4yrs4yrs

1.6-2 years1.6-2 years– Monitor’s one’s on-going utterancesMonitor’s one’s on-going utterances

repair spontaneouslyrepair spontaneously practice sounds, words simple sentencespractice sounds, words simple sentences adjust one’s speech to different listenersadjust one’s speech to different listeners

3-4 years3-4 years– Check the results of one’s utteranceCheck the results of one’s utterance

check whether the listener has understood: check whether the listener has understood: if not repairif not repair

comment explicitly on own utterances and comment explicitly on own utterances and those of othersthose of others

correct otherscorrect others

Clark’s taxonomy, 3-4 yrs. cont.Clark’s taxonomy, 3-4 yrs. cont.

3-4 years, continued3-4 years, continued– test for realitytest for reality

decide whether a word or sentence decide whether a word or sentence ‘works in furthering listener ‘works in furthering listener understandingunderstanding

– attempt to learn language attempt to learn language deliberatelydeliberately

practice new sounds,words, sentencespractice new sounds,words, sentences practice speech styles of different rolespractice speech styles of different roles

Clark’s taxonomy, School-ageClark’s taxonomy, School-age

School-ageSchool-age– predict consequences of using predict consequences of using

particular forms (inflections, words, particular forms (inflections, words, phrases sentences)phrases sentences)

apply appropriate inflections to ‘new’ apply appropriate inflections to ‘new’ wordswords

judge utterances as appropriate for a judge utterances as appropriate for a speech listener or settingspeech listener or setting

correct word order and wording in correct word order and wording in sentences judged as ‘wrong’sentences judged as ‘wrong’

Clark’s Taxonomy, School AgeClark’s Taxonomy, School Age finish finish

– reflect on the product of an utterancereflect on the product of an utterance identify specific linguistic unitsidentify specific linguistic units explains why some sentences are explains why some sentences are

possible and how to interpret thempossible and how to interpret them provide definitions of words, multiple provide definitions of words, multiple

meaning words, synonyms, antonyms, meaning words, synonyms, antonyms, homonymshomonyms

uses performativesuses performatives

Metalinguistic TaxonomiesMetalinguistic Taxonomies

Clarks taxonomyClarks taxonomy Van Kleecks Van Kleecks (more emergent literacy (more emergent literacy

focused)focused)– Four StagesFour Stages– Stage I (Age 1.6-2)Stage I (Age 1.6-2)

distinguishes Print from non-printdistinguishes Print from non-print knows how to interact with books: right side up, knows how to interact with books: right side up,

turning from left to rightturning from left to right Recognizes some printed symbols brand names Recognizes some printed symbols brand names

(logographic)(logographic)

VanKleeck’s VanKleeck’s TaxonomyTaxonomy #VK2#VK2 Phase II ( Ages 2-6)Phase II ( Ages 2-6)

– ascertains word boundaries in spoken sentencesascertains word boundaries in spoken sentences– ascertains word boundaries in printed wordsascertains word boundaries in printed words– engages in word substitution playengages in word substitution play– plays with the sounds of the languageplays with the sounds of the language– begins to talk about language parts of about begins to talk about language parts of about

talking talking ( speech acts)( speech acts)– corrects own speech/language to help the listener corrects own speech/language to help the listener

understand the message understand the message (spontaneously or in (spontaneously or in response to the response to the listener request)listener request)

– self-monitors own speech and makes changes to self-monitors own speech and makes changes to more closely approximate the adult more closely approximate the adult

model; model; phonological first, lexical phonological first, lexical and semantic speech and semantic speech style laststyle last

– believes that a word is an integral part of the believes that a word is an integral part of the object object to which it refers (word realism)to which it refers (word realism)

– inability to consider that one word could have inability to consider that one word could have different meaningsdifferent meanings

Van Kleeck’s TaxonomyVan Kleeck’s Taxonomy #VK3#VK3

Stage 3 (ages 6-10)Stage 3 (ages 6-10)– Begins to take listener perspective and use Begins to take listener perspective and use

language form to matchlanguage form to match

– Understands verbal humor involving Understands verbal humor involving linguistic ambiguity: riddleslinguistic ambiguity: riddles

– Able to resolve ambiguityAble to resolve ambiguity lexical first: homophoneslexical first: homophones deep structure deep structure (will you join me in a bowl of (will you join me in a bowl of

soupsoup morphologic/phonologicmorphologic/phonologic (What do you have if (What do you have if

you put three ducks in a box? “A box of quackers)you put three ducks in a box? “A box of quackers)

Van Kleek’s TaxonomyVan Kleek’s Taxonomy#VK4#VK4

– Able to understand word can have multiple Able to understand word can have multiple meaningsmeanings

– Able to resequence language elementsAble to resequence language elements (brown, the, fence fox, over, jumped, the)(brown, the, fence fox, over, jumped, the)

– Able to segment syllables into phonemesAble to segment syllables into phonemes– Finds it difficult to appreciate Figurative Finds it difficult to appreciate Figurative

Forms other than IdiomsForms other than Idioms Stage IV (Ages 10 +Stage IV (Ages 10 +

– Able to extend language meaning to Able to extend language meaning to figurative language ( hypothetical realms for figurative language ( hypothetical realms for metaphors, similes, parodies, analogies)metaphors, similes, parodies, analogies)

– Able to manipulate various speech styles to Able to manipulate various speech styles to fit a variety of contexts and listeners fit a variety of contexts and listeners

Metalinguistics’s SkillsMetalinguistics’s Skills

Metalinguistic ComponentsMetalinguistic Components– 1. Meta-components 1. Meta-components

meta p,p,s,smeta p,p,s,s– Metapragmatics: ‘Why” it’s important to say Metapragmatics: ‘Why” it’s important to say

“Thank you”“Thank you”– Metaphonology: phonemic awarenessMetaphonology: phonemic awareness– Metasemantics: explaining what a word Metasemantics: explaining what a word

means, means, multiple meaning words, synonyms, multiple meaning words, synonyms, antonyms, homonyms, multiple meaning wordsantonyms, homonyms, multiple meaning words

– Metasyntax: parts of speech, diagrammingMetasyntax: parts of speech, diagramming

Metalinguistics ComponentsMetalinguistics Components– 2. Performatives2. Performatives– humorhumor

– visualvisual– verbalverbal

inferential (deep structure)inferential (deep structure) ambiguity ambiguity

– figurative languagefigurative language idiomsidioms: Strike a bargain, hop a plane, break a : Strike a bargain, hop a plane, break a

datedate metaphors: metaphors: Your teeth are like stars, they Your teeth are like stars, they

come out at nightcome out at night proverbs: proverbs: A penny saved, is a penny earnedA penny saved, is a penny earned analogies:analogies: A father is a man, a mother is a A father is a man, a mother is a

….…. SimilesSimiles

Metalinguistics ComponentsMetalinguistics Components

-3. Emergent Literacy-3. Emergent Literacy Text manipulationText manipulation Discourse CompetencyDiscourse Competency Text ComprehensionText Comprehension Phonologic Awareness Phonologic Awareness

METALINGUISTICS SummaryMETALINGUISTICS Summary 1. Definition1. Definition 2. Taxonomies2. Taxonomies

VanKleeckVanKleeck ClarkClark

3. Components3. Components– 1. Meta-components: pragmatics, 1. Meta-components: pragmatics,

phonology, semantics, syntaxphonology, semantics, syntax– 2. Performatives2. Performatives

humorhumor multiple meaning wordsmultiple meaning words figurative languagefigurative language

– idiomsidioms similessimiles– proverbsproverbs metaphorsmetaphors

– 3. Emergent Literacy3. Emergent Literacy

END Metalinguistic NOTESEND Metalinguistic NOTES