[Xmca-l] Re: Psychology of Language

Martin John Packer mpacker@uniandes.edu.co
Fri Apr 25 11:25:47 PDT 2014


Carol, I suppose collected readings would be a good product. But I think a collectively written textbook would be a Great product!

Martin

On Apr 25, 2014, at 12:06 PM, carolmacdon <carolmacdon@gmail.com> wrote:

> Martin's list looks yummy. I know that my students would find that enthralling.  It would however be put together in separate readings.
> Carol
> 
> 
> Sent from Samsung Mobile
> 
> -------- Original message --------
> From: Huw Lloyd <huw.softdesigns@gmail.com> 
> Date: 24/04/2014  11:53 PM  (GMT+01:00) 
> To: "eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity" <xmca-l@mailman.ucsd.edu> 
> Subject: [Xmca-l] Re: Psychology of Language 
> 
> That would be nice.  I think you'd get more than undergrads tuning in too.
> 
> Huw
> 
> 
> On 24 April 2014 23:28, Martin John Packer <mpacker@uniandes.edu.co> wrote:
> 
>> Huw, I'm not disagreeing. It's just that I'm not sure what it is in
>> Whitney's book that you're responding to. I have the impression it's a
>> generally cognitive approach to language, and that's one reason I would
>> like to find something better.
>> 
>> What would an ideal cultural-historical textbook on language and
>> psychology include?
>> 
>> - language acquisition (with an emphasis on pragmatics and discourse)
>> - language and nonverbal communication
>> - the evolution of language
>> - language and the brain: not simply localization, but the way lueracy
>> transforms the brain, etc.
>> - language and thought: LSV and newer research
>> - language and the oher psychological functions as a dynamic system
>> - linguistics from a systemic functional approach (plus Chomsky as a
>> contrast?)
>> - (cross-cultural studies of) language and perception (color?)
>> - metaphor a la Lakoff...
>> ...???
>> 
>> Laure, I would be very interested to see your syllabus, though my French
>> is lousy!
>> 
>> Martin
>> 
>> On Apr 24, 2014, at 5:10 PM, Huw Lloyd <huw.softdesigns@gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>>> On 24 April 2014 22:57, Martin John Packer <mpacker@uniandes.edu.co>
>> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> But the efforts to teach language to non-humans are interesting, no? And
>>>> they generally employ signs rather than words. I think there's general
>>>> awareness that language need not be verbal.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>> Yes, but what about the history of experience evoked by the tongue or
>>> finger wagging?
>>> 
>>> What will you have: language as a carrier and, oh, there's this other
>> thing
>>> called culture?
>>> 
>>> For nature of language, you could study toddlers.  That's enough to
>>> indicate that "language as signing" is a phoney division.
>>> 
>>> Best,
>>> Huw
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> Martin
>>>> 
>>>> On Apr 24, 2014, at 4:46 PM, Huw Lloyd <huw.softdesigns@gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> Its not entirely clear from the contents, but it looks like the author
>> is
>>>>> reinforcing notions of language as wordiness ("Attempts to teach
>> language
>>>>> to non-humans").  I would start by debunking that.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Best,
>>>>> Huw
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> On 24 April 2014 22:16, Martin John Packer <mpacker@uniandes.edu.co>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> Huw,
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> If you click on the link I included in an earlier message you can see
>>>> the
>>>>>> contents of this typical undergraduate text. Here it is again:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> <
>>>> 
>> http://www.amazon.com/The-Psychology-Language-Paul-Whitney/dp/0395757509>
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> And here are the sections and chapter titles. Let me say that I am by
>> no
>>>>>> means a great fan of these themes, but there are some limits to the
>>>>>> innovations that one can introduce at the undergraduate level, sadly.
>> A
>>>>>> text that adopted a sociocultural perspective on psychology and
>> language
>>>>>> would provide legitimacy to a course that was a bit less traditional,
>> if
>>>>>> you know what I mean!
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Language and its functions
>>>>>>        The nature of language
>>>>>>        What language users must know
>>>>>>        Language in relation to other cognitive processes
>>>>>>        Theories of the language-thought relationship
>>>>>> Models of language processing
>>>>>>        The recognition of spoken words
>>>>>>        Visual word recognition
>>>>>>        Sentence processing
>>>>>>        Understanding and remembering discourse
>>>>>>        Language production and conversation
>>>>>> Language and the brain
>>>>>>        Language acquisition: Biological foundations
>>>>>>        Language acquisition in special circumstances
>>>>>>        Language and the localization of function
>>>>>> Conclusions
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> On Apr 24, 2014, at 11:58 AM, Huw Lloyd <huw.softdesigns@gmail.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> I am puzzled and curious about what constitutes an undergraduate text
>>>>>> for a
>>>>>>> rich, involving and open-ended subject.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Are you starting from the subject first, and then working out how to
>>>>>>> deliver it in bite size examinable chunks (if these constraints
>> apply),
>>>>>> and
>>>>>>> how are you (considering) dealing with the open-endedness of the
>>>>>> topics...?
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Is the major issue about accessibility of content?  What about
>>>> compliance
>>>>>>> with other concepts and procedures in the course...?
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> How about taking one interesting text and critiquing it (in a
>>>> structured
>>>>>>> way)?  E.g. how blind-deaf people learn to language (Meshcheryakov),
>> or
>>>>>>> changes in language due to culture (Luria), or more about language
>>>> itself
>>>>>>> and its cultural aspects.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Perhaps the text, itself, would benefit from being quite small so
>>>>>> students
>>>>>>> can go and look up the references.  1st (or 2nd) hand  material is a
>>>> good
>>>>>>> choice!
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Hope this helps...
>>>>>>> Huw
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> On 24 April 2014 15:46, Martin John Packer <mpacker@uniandes.edu.co>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Hi Laure,
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> In general I'm also in favor of dispersed readings. In addition, in
>> my
>>>>>>>> course in child development I've been writing the textbook that I
>>>> need!
>>>>>> It
>>>>>>>> is (currently) titled "A Cultural Psychology of Children’s
>>>> Development."
>>>>>>>> But this is a new course that I need to get up and running quickly,
>>>> so I
>>>>>>>> think I need to start with an existing text. If one exists!
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Martin
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> On Apr 24, 2014, at 8:42 AM, Laure Kloetzer <
>> laure.kloetzer@gmail.com
>>>>>>>> <mailto:laure.kloetzer@gmail.com>> wrote:
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Hi Martin,
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> We are teaching a similar course here at CNAM, Paris. But in
>> French...
>>>>>> and
>>>>>>>> no textbook, we suggest and comment dispersed readings. Would you
>> send
>>>>>> me
>>>>>>>> your syllabus ? I would be very happy to compare (our plan is in
>>>>>> French, if
>>>>>>>> you read French, I'll be happy to share).
>>>>>>>> Also interested to see if you get some answers regarding the text
>>>> book.
>>>>>>>> If not: why wouldn't we edit this textbook that we need ?
>>>>>>>> Cheers
>>>>>>>> LK
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 2014-04-24 15:35 GMT+02:00 Martin John Packer <
>>>> mpacker@uniandes.edu.co
>>>>>>>> <mailto:mpacker@uniandes.edu.co>>:
>>>>>>>> Hi Bella,
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Thanks, but what I'm looking for is a text on the role of language
>> in
>>>>>>>> psychology. I'm teaching a course that when last taught used this
>>>> text,
>>>>>>>> which was published in 1998. I'd like something more contemporary,
>> and
>>>>>> more
>>>>>>>> aligned with a sociocultural perspective:
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> <
>>>>>> 
>>>> 
>> http://www.amazon.com/The-Psychology-Language-Paul-Whitney/dp/0395757509>
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Martin
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> On Apr 23, 2014, at 11:55 PM, Bella Kotik-Friedgut <
>>>>>> bella.kotik@gmail.com
>>>>>>>> <mailto:bella.kotik@gmail.com>> wrote:
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> Martin, if you mean something like the following
>>>>>>>>> Williams, M. & Burden, R. (1997). *Psychology for Language
>>>>>>>>> Teachers,*Cambridge Language Library.
>>>>>>>>> I am teaching a course: Psychological aspects of new language
>>>> learning
>>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>>>> teaching.
>>>>>>>>> So if you need something more specific please ask.
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> Sincerely yours Bella Kotik-Friedgut
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>> On Thu, Apr 24, 2014 at 2:39 AM, Martin John Packer <
>>>>>>>> mpacker@uniandes.edu.co<mailto:mpacker@uniandes.edu.co>
>>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> Can anyone recommend a good undergraduate textbook on Psychology
>>>>>> and/of
>>>>>>>>>> Language?
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> Martin
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 




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