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LANGUAGE ACQUISITION (DEFINITIONS)

Language: Language comes from the Latin word ‘lingua,’ which means language or tongue.
Language is a means of communication. It exists in the spoken, written and non-verbal (actions,
pictures) forms.
Language Acquisition: Learning a language is called language acquisition. It can be one’s
mother tongue or second language or foreign language.
First Language: The first language is also called L1 or mother tongue or native language. It is
the most important language and is learned right from infancy (from the time one is a baby). It is
available at home, in school, and in the environment (the place around).
Second Language: The second language or L2 is not one’s mother tongue. It is, as the name
suggests, the second important language after the mother tongue or L1. In some countries, the L2
can also be an important or official language.
Foreign Language: The foreign language or FL is, like L2, not one’s mother tongue. But, while
the second language is used inside the country, the FL is not used inside the country. It is taught
and used only inside the classroom. But opportunities for using the foreign language exist
outside the country.
Target Language: The language that a learner wants to learn is called the target language. It can
be L1, L2, or FL. Target Language is also called TL.
Second Language Acquisition: The process of learning a second language is called second
language acquisition or SLA.
Types of Learning: (Chapter 1; page 13)
While learning a second language, learners engage in two types of learning – item learning and
system learning. Item learning deals with the learning of separate linguistic items (e.g. nouns,
verbs, active and passive voice, expressions used in requesting, etc.). System learning deals with
the learning of rules that are necessary for the use of these linguistic items. (TEACHERS NEED
TO EXPLAIN THIS WITH ONE OR MORE EXAMPLES)
Sequence of Acquisition (Chapter 2; page 23)
Learners acquire grammatical structures in a certain order or sequence.

Dr. Sujatha Menon

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The table clearly shows that language acquisition follows a U-shaped course of development.
1. Initially (at first), learners may produce accurate (correct) grammatical structures.
2. Learners regress or go backwards in their learning; they make mistakes.
3. Finally, learners make progress and acquire correct grammatical structures in the TL.

Variability in Learner Language (Chapter 2; page 25-27)

A variable is a linguistic item that has various forms or variants. For example, in Standard
English, many people say, He works here. But, in non-standard English or some new varieties of
English, He work here is considered right.
Variability (the quality of having various forms) depends on the context or setting. There are
three common types of context:
Linguistic Context: Learners use a particular form in one setting, and another form in another
setting.
Situational Context: Learners usually use correct TL forms in formal situations and non-target
forms (informal or even grammatically incorrect) in informal situations.
Psycholinguistic Context: If learners have enough time, then the learning system in their minds
helps them to produce correct TL forms.

Dr. Sujatha Menon