Applied Linguistics 665Applied Linguistics 665

11

First Language AcquisitionFirst Language Acquisition

Stages of Language Development

AgeAgeIn month

Stage Examples

0 - 4 Crying

4 – 6 -12 Babbling Da, dada

14 -20 - 24One-word phrases

Ba, boo, car , car

2424 Two-word phrases phrases Daddy goneDaddy gone

Cat sleepingCat sleeping

24 - 3624 - 36 Multi-word phrasesMulti-word phrases

Telegraphic speechTelegraphic speech

Mommy milk drinkMommy milk drink

Stages of Language Development

--ing – playing, eating,

Third-person present tense “s” – he goes

Regular past tense – played, goed, bringed

Plural “s” – cats, boys, mans, foots

Irregular past tense – went, brought

Negation:Negation:Stage 1: no + PHRASE - No drink, No you playing Stage 1: no + PHRASE - No drink, No you playing herehere

Stage 2: negator moves inside phrase; Stage 2: negator moves inside phrase; not not and and don’t don’t added to list of negators but added to list of negators but don’tdon’t is considered one is considered one word. word. I no can swim. I don’t see no mop. I no can swim. I don’t see no mop.

Stage 3: negator attached to modals but initially may Stage 3: negator attached to modals but initially may be unanalyzed as be unanalyzed as don’tdon’t in stage 2. in stage 2.

I can’t play this one, I won’t tell. I can’t play this one, I won’t tell.

Stage 4: auxiliary system is developed, and learner Stage 4: auxiliary system is developed, and learner acquires correct use of acquires correct use of not not and contractions. and contractions.

He doesn’t know anything, I didn’t say it. He doesn’t know anything, I didn’t say it.

Theories of First Language Acquisition

Behaviorism: Behaviorism: Skinner (1957)1. Language is learned like anything else.

2. Imitation: Children learn by imitating adult speech.

3. Stimulus and response

4. Reinforcement: Children learn to speak properly by being corrected by their caregivers (Motherese/

CDS).

Problems?

Explanations:Explanations:

1. Children everywhere learn to speak about 1. Children everywhere learn to speak about the same time and go through the same the same time and go through the same stages.stages.

2. If it’s S-R, why don’t Apes, Dolphins,.. 2. If it’s S-R, why don’t Apes, Dolphins,.. acquire human language?acquire human language?

3. Adult doesn’t utter “he goed home”3. Adult doesn’t utter “he goed home”

4. Children master a complex linguistic system 4. Children master a complex linguistic system faster than they learn other things.faster than they learn other things.

Cognitive::

Chomsky (1959)Chomsky (1959)

Innate: Humans have a genetic predisposition to learn Innate: Humans have a genetic predisposition to learn language.language.

Generative Grammar – SS & DSGenerative Grammar – SS & DS

Language Acquisition Device (LAD) – UGLanguage Acquisition Device (LAD) – UG

Children learn rules w/ or w/o feedback from adults.Children learn rules w/ or w/o feedback from adults.

- Overgeneralization- Overgeneralization

- Hypothesis – Test - Hypothesis – Test Rule Rule