FIRST LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

First Language Acquisition

First Language Acquisition

Language Acquisition and Developmental Process in a Child

All humans need to acquire basic language skills in order to communicate with the society they live in. However, it is common for all adults to take for granted their language skills until they need to learn a new and different language (). It is in this situation that they tend to realize that the process of learning a language is not easy, which is why it is considered a vital task for researchers to study the process of language learning so that they can further facilitate in the learning of a second language (Doughty, 2002). Moreover, for this a researcher needs to explore fully the different and complex facets involved in the language learning of children, their first vocabulary, and word/phrases development. The development of their phrases along with syntax usually comes later, with the advanced lexical structures involving the use of morphology and semantics (Perani et al, 2005). Environment and motivational factors are also crucial to the development of the language learning process.

The process of first language learning should be on the basis of appropriate lexical and syntactic structure, upon which proper learning and understanding of the language can be built (Littlefield, 2011). There can be diverse systems used to understand this learning process, however, the most famously used if the method of data collection, although the recommended one is the special system of production management. Another system usually employed is the system of recording and analyzing of the transcripts to properly understand the process of first language acquisition. Video and audio are the common methods of collecting data from “chats” (Perani et al, 2005).

Age and Developmental Stage

To learn about the different developmental stages of a child's learning process, we have two transcripts. The first transcript is extremely easy to read at the lexical level as it is full of morphemes. According to the readings, the child must be 1 or maximum 2 years of age. This is the age where semantic as well as grammatical development starts progressing, although it is a relatively early stage (O'Grady, 2005). This is also the stage where a child starts learning basic language skills with the help of simple morphemes, for example, “sun” (transcript 1, line 117). The development of grammar can therefore be observed, as “articles” along with basic use of grammar is also present for example, “'a' green” (transcript 1, line 11) or “blue Daddy” from (transcript 1, line 63).

The second transcript offers a rapidly developing linguistic composition as it demonstrates the use of basic grammar. This shows that the child is at later stages of language development, and therefore it is safe to conclude that the child must be of 3 or 4 years of age. Examples like, “his hand up and down” (transcript 2 line 111), highlight the later stage of linguistic and grammatical development of the child. This is also a crucial stage of development in a child's language learning process (Perani et ...