HESP150

Introduction to Language Science

Language science is the scientific study of how humans acquire, use, comprehend, and produce language. Most people in all societies learn and use their native language or languages with apparent ease - but don't be fooled: languages are highly complex, and speaking and understanding language requires some amazing feats of mental acrobatics. Thus there are many opportunities for difficulties with language, which is the focus of our field. Understanding difficulties with speech, language, and hearing require first understanding how processing works when language is successful - the psychological (behavioral) and neurobiological (brain) factors that enable people to learn and use language despite its intricacies, the structure and properties of language itself, and how knowledge of language is acquired, represented, and processed in the mind and brain.