language acquisition Flashcards
language acquisition
the capacity to use language successfully requires one to acquire a range of tools including phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics
innateness hypothesis
supposes that language learning ability is innate in humans
universal grammar
a theory in linguistics usually credited to Noam Chomsky that suggests that the ability to learn grammar is built into the human brain from birth regardless of language
theories of acquisition
a theory developed by Stephen Krashen, which argues that there are two ways of developing language ability
imitation theory
imitation theory states that children only learn language through listening and copying the language that they hear around them
reinforcement theory
sounds, words, gestures and phrases are encouraged by following the behavior with words of praise
active construction of a grammar theory
assumes that children produce words like goed or growed because they have formed a rule that tells them to add -ed to a verb to form the past tense
connectionist theory
proposed within which hypotheses about second language acquisition can be tested
native speakers
a person who has spoken the language in question from earliest childhood
nonnative speakers
someone who is learning a language they did not learn to speak as a child
critical period hypothesis
a period of growth in which full native competence is possible when acquiring a language
prelinguistic
at a stage before the development of language or the acquisition of speech
pragmatics
governs how language is used for social purposes
semantics
the meaning of a word, phrase, sentence, or text
phonetics
the study and classification of speech sounds
