Language acquistion
Language acquisition is the process of learning a native or a second language. Although how children learn to speak is not perfectly understood, most explanations involve both the observation that children copy what they hear and the inference that human beings have a natural aptitude for understanding grammar. Children usually learn the sounds and vocabulary of their native language through imitation, and grammar is seldom taught to them; that they rapidly acquire the ability to speak grammatically. This supports the theory of Noam Chomsky (1959). that children are able to learn the grammar of a particular language because all intelligible languages are founded on a deep structure of universal grammatical rules that corresponds to an innate capacity of the human brain. Adults learning a second language pass through some of the same stages, as do children learning their native language.In the first part of this paper I will describe the process of language acquisition. The second part will review how infants respond to speech. Language is multifaceted. It contains both verbal and non-verbal aspects that children seem to acquire quickly. Before birth virtually all the neurons (nerve cells) are formed
· Exploring objects by banging them together, throwing, or mouthing them. Chomsky, N. (1981) Lectures on Government and Binding. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Foris Publications. These conversations continue for many months before the child utters anything more intelligible than "mommy" or "daddy." Although the infant is not yet speaking, the child is imprinting a linguistic map of how the language works. Silently, the child is internalizing the patterns and sounds of the target language. When the child has decoded enough of the target language, speaking appears spontaneously. The infant's speech will not be perfect, but gradually, the child's utterances will approximate more and more that of a native speaker. Jusczyk, Peter (1997) Johns Hopkins University. Mama! Dada! Origin of Language Pegged At 6 Months. Released: 16 February 1999
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)
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