Hauptseminar, SS 2014, Campus EssenHauptseminar, SS 2014, Campus Essen [627836]

Hauptseminar, SS 2014, Campus EssenHauptseminar, SS 2014, Campus Essen
Raymond Hickey, English LinguisticsRaymond Hickey, English Linguistics
PsycholinguisticsPsycholinguistics

Why should one go to a seminar on psycholinguistics?
1)Language acquisition tells about the manner in which we unconsciously
learn language in our childhood. As second language acquisition it tells
us about the way in which we can add another language to our
existing knowledge of language. Second language acquisition
furthermore offers insights into how two languages interact and
illuminates the phenomenon of interference.
2)First language acquisition reveals the stages through which we as very
young children go through in learning our later native language.These
stages teach us about what areas of language are central and what are
less important.
3)First language acquisition offers evidence for the hypothesis ofmany
scientists that a certain amount of knowledge is innate (the nativist
standpoint) and not simply learned by observation and/or habit (the
empiricist standpoint).

4)4)The order of stages is of relevance when looking at other areas The order of stages is of relevance when looking at other areas of of
linguistics such as language change because the division of linguistics such as language change because the division of
phenomena and categories into central and peripheral (phenomena and categories into central and peripheral ( acquisitionalacquisitional
hierarchy) is reflected in the types of language change which arhierarchy) is reflected in the types of language change which ar e e
attested in the world's languages.attested in the world's languages.
5)5)The progression of language acquisition furthermore throws lightThe progression of language acquisition furthermore throws light on on
our cognitive development and as such help us to better understaour cognitive development and as such help us to better understa nd nd
our psychological makeup.our psychological makeup.
6)6)On a broader level, language acquisition is concerned with learnOn a broader level, language acquisition is concerned with learn ing ing
more than one language. While more than one language. While monolingualismmonolingualism is often the rule in is often the rule in
modern Western societies, most of the world's population is at lmodern Western societies, most of the world's population is at l east east
bilingual. This bilingualism has a social and an individual aspebilingual. This bilingualism has a social and an individual aspe ct.ct.

Areas for presentations and term essaysAreas for presentations and term essays
1)1)Language acquisition and related areas of developmentLanguage acquisition and related areas of development
►► a)a) Biological maturation and language acquisitionBiological maturation and language acquisition
►► b)b) Linguistic and cognitive developmentLinguistic and cognitive development
►► c)c) Social aspects of language acquisitionSocial aspects of language acquisition
2)2)Acquisition of phonology/morphologyAcquisition of phonology/morphology
3)3)Acquisition of syntaxAcquisition of syntax
►► a)a) SingleSingle –word, twoword, two –word and complex sentencesword and complex sentences
►► b)b) Syntax and later language acquisition (after 5)Syntax and later language acquisition (after 5)
4)4)Acquisition of meaningAcquisition of meaning
►► a)a) Meaning relationsMeaning relations
►► b)b) Expanding vocabularyExpanding vocabulary

Areas for presentations and term essaysAreas for presentations and term essays
5)5)First and second language acquisitionFirst and second language acquisition
►► a) Comparing natural L1 and L2 acquisitiona) Comparing natural L1 and L2 acquisition
►► b) Controlled and natural L2 acquisitionb) Controlled and natural L2 acquisition
6)6)First language acquisition and other areas of linguisticsFirst language acquisition and other areas of linguistics
►► (psycholinguistics, language change, speech errors, language(psycholinguistics, language change, speech errors, language
►► pathology, language universals)pathology, language universals)
7)7)Acquisition of more than one language (natural bilingualism)Acquisition of more than one language (natural bilingualism)
8)8)Linguistic theory and language acquisition (Linguistic theory and language acquisition ( empricismempricism vs. vs. generativismgenerativism ))

What is psycholinguistics?
Psycholinguistics is the study of language with reference to human
psychology. It has a very broad scope but is frequently used with
specific reference to processes of language acquisition, especially of
one's first language. In the more general psycholinguistics covers the
following areas
1)Neurolinguistics
(the study of language and the brain). This has a
physical dimension to it and is the domain of neurologists concerned
with impairments of language due to brain lesions, tumors, injuries or
strokes. It also has an observational domain which is the concern of
linguists. Here certain phenomena like slips of the tongue, various
performance errors (due to nervousness, tiredness for instance) are
examined for the insights which they might offer about the structure of
the language faculty in the human brain.

2)Language pathology
The breakdown of language has been studied
intensively from at least two main angles. The first is that of medicine
where attempts are made to help patients regain at least partially the
ability to use language normally. Such patients are typically older
people who have had a stroke (a burst blood vessel in the brain,in this
case affecting the Brocaor Wernickeareas) or younger people who
have been involved in an accident (typically in a car or on a
motorcycle) and have thus an impairment of the brain due to external
injury. A third group is formed by patients who have had a tumor
(cancerous growth) in the brain which impairs their speech pressing on
either of the speech areas (fairly rare as a medical phenomenon
though). Language disorders are known in linguistics and medicine as
aphasia. There are many different types depending on the impairment
which a patient shows.
►Broca'sarea A part of the brain —approximately above the left
temple —called after its discoverer the French doctor Paul Brocaand
which is responsible for speech production.
►Wernicke'sarea A part of the brain which is taken to be responsible
for the comprehension of language. It is located just above the left
ear. Named after Karl Wernicke, the German scientist who discovered
the area in the second half of the 19th century.

Speech errorsSpeech errors
►The tipofthetongue
phenomenon can be seen with non-
pathological speakers and is characterisedby a sudden
block in lexical retrieval and which is released again for no
apparent reason. Slipsofthe tongue
involve the
involuntary and unintended switching of elements among
words of a sentence. Normally the onset or rhyme of
adjacent syllables are switched and this phenomenon
offers firm evidence for the validity of the syllable as a
phonological unit.

What can one learn?What can one learn?
►►A child can learn any language. However, this is in general the A child can learn any language. However, this is in general the
language of the parents, but this does not have to be the case. language of the parents, but this does not have to be the case. The The
language which the child is exposed to in the first years of liflanguage which the child is exposed to in the first years of lif e is e is
that which is learned.that which is learned.
►►If more than one language is spoken in the environment of the chIf more than one language is spoken in the environment of the ch ild ild
then the child learns these languages. Two languages are not rarthen the child learns these languages. Two languages are not rar e, e,
three or more are unusual, however. What is important for the chthree or more are unusual, however. What is important for the ch ild ild
is that both languages are spoken to an equal extent in the is that both languages are spoken to an equal extent in the
environment environment –for instance by each of the parents for instance by each of the parents –and that there and that there
are no major tensions in the relationship to the persons who speare no major tensions in the relationship to the persons who spe ak ak
these languages, otherwise the child will probably develop a genthese languages, otherwise the child will probably develop a gen eral eral
dislike of the language of this individual.dislike of the language of this individual.Language acquisition

Language acquisition
This is a process which can take place at any period of one's life. In
the sense of first language acquisition, however, it refers to the
acquisition (unconscious learning) of one's native language (or
languages in the case of bilinguals) during the first 6 or 7 years of
one's life (roughly from birth to the time one starts school).
Characteristics of first language acquisition
1)It is an instinct. This is true in the technical sense, i.e. it is triggered by
birth and takes its own course, though of course linguistic input from
the environment is needed for the child to acquire a specific language.
As an instinct, language acquisition can be compared to the acquisition
of binocular vision or binaural hearing.
2)It is very rapid. The amount of time required to acquire one's native
language is quite short, very short compared to that needed to learn a
second language successfully later on in life.

3)It is very complete. The quality of first language acquisition is far
better than that of a second language (learned later on in life). One
does not forget one's native language (though one might have slight
difficulties remembering words if you do not use it for a long time).
4)It does not require instruction. Despite the fact that many non-linguists
think that mothers are important for children to learn their native
language, instructions by parents or care-takers are unnecessary,
despite the psychological benefits of attention to the child.
What is the watershed separating first and second language acquisition?
Generally, the ability to acquire a language with native speaker
competence diminishes severlyaround puberty. There are two
suggestions as to why this is the case. 1) Shortly before puberty the
lateralisationof the brain (fixing of various functions to parts of the
brain) takes place and this may lead to general inflexibility. 2) With
puberty various hormonal changes take place in the body (and we
technically become adults). This may also lead to a inflexibility which
means that language acquisition cannot proceed to the conclusionit
reaches in early childhood.

Definitions and distinctions
►Acquisition is carried out in the first years of childhood and leads to
unconscious knowledge of one's native language which is practically indelible.
Note that acquisition has nothing to do with intelligence, i.e. children of
different degrees of intelligence all go through the same process of acquiring
their native language.
► Learning (of a second language) is done later (after puberty) and is
characterisedby imperfection and the likelihood of being forgotten. Learning
leads to conscious knowledge.
►FIRST LANGUAGE ACQUISITION This is the acquisition of the mothertongue.
Chronology is important here (see below). The degree of competence acquired
may vary from individual to individual and may be checked by later switching
to another language. Note that language acquisition is largely independent of
intelligence, although individuals can and do differ in their mastery of open
classes such as vocabulary.
►BI-AND MULTILINGUALISM This is the acquisition of two or more languages
from birth or at least together in early childhood. The ideal situation where all
languages are equally represented in the child's surroundings and where the
child has an impartial relationship to each is hardly to be found in reality so
that of two or more languages one is bound to be dominant.

►SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION This is the acquisition of a second
language after the mother tongue has been (largely) acquired. Usually
refers to acquisition which begins after puberty, i.e. typicallyadult language
acquisition. Sometimes replaced by the term furtherlanguageacquisition
.
►ERROR This is an incorrect feature in language acquisition whichoccurs
because of the stage at which the child is at a given time (acquisition in as
yet incomplete). Errors are regular and easily explainable. For instance the
use of weak verb forms for strong ones or the overapplicationof the s
–
plural to all nouns in English would be examples of errors. Suchfeatures
tend to right themselves with time when the child appreciates that many
word classes contain a degree of irregularity.
►MISTAKE Here one is dealing with a random, non-systematic and usually
unpredictable phenomenon in second language learning. Mistakes are
sometimes termed 'performance errors' to emphasisethat they arise on the
spur of the moment when speaking and are not indicative of any
acquisitionalstage.
►COMPETENCE is the abstract ability to speak a language, i.e. knowledge of
a language independent of its use.
►PERFORMANCE is actual use of language. Its features do not necessarily
reflect characteristics of performance, for example, when one isnervous,
tired, drunk one may have difficulties speaking coherently. This, however,
does not mean that one cannot speak one's native language.

►►Second language acquisition refers to a further language Second language acquisition refers to a further language
which is acquired after the first, usually after primary which is acquired after the first, usually after primary
school. The acquisition of a second language never reaches school. The acquisition of a second language never reaches
the degree of proficiency of the first. The reason for this is the degree of proficiency of the first. The reason for this is
that children start too late, in fact they are usually that children start too late, in fact they are usually
teenagers before being exposed to the second language. teenagers before being exposed to the second language.
After puberty one cannot learn a second language as well After puberty one cannot learn a second language as well
as a first one, no matter how much time one invests in as a first one, no matter how much time one invests in
this. In this connection linguists generally make the this. In this connection linguists generally make the
distinction between distinction between acquisitionacquisition
–for the first language for the first language –
and and learninglearning
–for the second language after childhood.for the second language after childhood.Acquisition and learning Acquisition and learning

Conditions of acquisition
►NATURAL This is characterisedby continuous exposure to language data. This data is
not ordered, i.e. the (child) learner is exposed to the performance of adult speakers of
the language he/she is acquiring. There is little if any feedback to the acquirer with
regard to this intake.
►CONTROLLED This is intervallic if not to say sporadic. Furthermore it takes place against
the background of another language, usually the first language (L1) of the learners. In
exceptional cases acquisition can be both natural and controlled, i.e. where one obtains
formal instruction (or gives it one to oneself) and lives in an environment where the
target language is spoken. Controlled acquisition is further characterisedby an ordered
exposure to the data of the language.
►GUIDED LANGUAGE ACQUISITION This is an intermediary type betweenthe two just
discussed and is characterisedby prescriptive corrections on the part of the child's
contact persons, i.e. mother, father, etc. Corrections show the transfer of adult
grammars to children whereas natural language acquisition shows the gradual
approximation of the child's grammar to the adult's.
► Note that a child is not corrected as often by his/her mother asone might
imagine. Self-correction is most common (but not immediate) due to two factors. Most
broadly speaking, because of lack of communication (here immediate correction may
take place) and secondly by consistently hearing correct usage on the part of the
mother, the child eventually drops his/her incorrect forms, which while perhaps
communicatively effective, are grammatically wrong. It is also true that children do not
learn language just from the mother. If siblings are present, then they too form a source
of input for the child. And siblings do not correct others or simplify their language for the
younger ones among them.

The logical problem of acquisition
►The logical problem of language acquisition is that it would seem
impossible to learn anything about a certain language without first
already knowing something about language in general. That is the
child must know what to expect in language before he/she can actually
order the data he/she is presented with in his/her surroundings and
ascribe meanings to words he/she encounters.
►THE EVIDENCE OF DEAF CHILDREN Deaf children start by babbling
and cooing but this soon peters out because they have no linguistic
input. However, they would seem to seize on other communication
systems and if people in their surroundings use sign language then
they pick this up. The interesting point here is that the children usually
learn the sign language more perfectly than the people from which
they learn it (note: sign language has grammar with inflections just as
does spoken language). They are creative in this language and create
sentence structures if these are not present in their input. This would
seem to suggest that deaf children use sign language as a mediumfor
activating their knowledge about language which is innate.

►THE EVIDENCE OF PIDGINS Children who have very poor input in their
surroundings tend to be creative in their use of language. Any
categories which they deem essential but which are not present in the
input from their environment are then invented by the children. This
has happened historically in those colonies of European powers where
a generation was cut off from its natural linguistic background and only
supplied with very poor unstructured English, Spanish, Dutch, etc. as
input in childhood. Such input, known technically as a pidgin , was then
expanded and refined grammatically by the children of the next
generation and is known in linguistics as a creole . Here one can see
that if the linguistic medium of their environment is deficient children
create the structures which they feel are lacking, going on their own
abstract innate knowledge of language.
► The implication of both the above cases is that children look for
language and if they do not find it they create it somehow, so that
they have a system of communication. In this sense language is atrue
instinct because it starts to develop of its own accord and doesnot
need to be consciously triggered.

►IS THERE A LANGUAGE GENE? There is a pathological medical condition called
SpecificLanguageImpairment
(abbreviated SLI
) which covers a range of
defects, all of which have in common that children continually make
grammatical mistakes in their mother tongue, i.e. they would seem to be
unaware of the existence of grammatical rules. Now as the Canadian linguist
Myrna Gopnikhas shown in her study of a family in Britain, some 16 of 30
members over three generations suffered from the defect. This would seem to
imply that it is genetically transferred (it looks like a defective gene which is
dominant in the family) which would also imply that the ability to grasp the
rules of grammar in first language acquisition is genetically encoded.
►IS THE LANGUAGE FACULTY SEPARATE FROM OTHER COGNITIVE ABILITIES?
There is one major piece of evidence that this is the case. Williamssyndrome
is a medical condition in which the patients are quite severlyretarded, as both
children and adults, and have difficulties counting properly or carrying out
simple tasks like tieingtheir shoelaces. However, such people are good
speakers of their native language and just show a slight tendency to
overgeneralise(they might say speaked
for spoke
). They have a good
command of grammatical rules which shows that their language faculty is
intact. The implication of this is that our ability to speak language is separate
from other cognitive abilities.

How is language transmitted?
►Language is obviously passed on from parents to their children. But on closer
inspection one notices that it is the performance (in the technical sense) of the
previous generation which is used as the basis for the competence of the next.
To put it simply, children do not have access to the competence of their
parents.
► 1) Linguistic input from parents (performance) >
► 2) Abstraction of structures by children >
► 3) Internalisation(competence of next generation)
►The above model is the only one which can account for why children can later
produce sentences which they have never heard before: the child stores the
sentence structures of his/her native language and has a lexiconof words as
well. When producing new sentences, he/she takes a structure andfills it with
words. This process allows the child to produce a theoretically unlimited
number of sentences in his/her later life.
► Note that certain shifts may occur if children make incorrect conclusions
about the structure of the language they are acquiring on the basis of what
they hear. Then there is a discrepancy between the competence oftheir
parents and that which they construct; this is an important source of language
change.

►Language acquisition for any generation of children
consists of achieving mastery in four main areas, i.e.
acquiring:
1)A set of syntactic rules which specify how sentences are
built up out of phrases and phrases out of words.
2)A set of morphological rules which specify how words are
built up out of morphemes, i.e. grammatical units smaller
than the word.
3)A set of phonological rules which specify how words,
phrases and sentences are pronounced.
4)A set of semantic rules which specify how words, phrases
and sentences are interpreted, i.e. what their meaning is.

Competence and PerformanceCompetence and Performance
►competence According to Chomsky in his Aspectsofthe
theoryofsyntax
(1965) this is the abstract ability of an
individual to speak the language which he/she has learned
as native language in his/her childhood. The competence
of a speaker is unaffected by such factors as nervousness,
temporary loss of memory, speech errors, etc. These latter
phenomena are entirely within the domain of performance
which refers to the process of applying one's competence
in the act of speaking. Bear in mind that competence also
refers to the ability to judge if a sentence is grammatically
well-formed; it is an unconscious ability.
►performance The actual production of language as
opposed to the knowledge about the structure of one's
native language which a speaker has internalisedduring
childhood.

Stages of language acquisition
►One of the firmest pieces of evidence that language acquisition is
genetically predetermined is the clear sequence of stages which
children pass through in the first five years of their lives. Furthermore
there are characteristics of each stage which always hold. For instance
up to the two-word stage only nouns and/or verbs occur. No child
begins by using conjunctions or prepositions, although he/she will have
heard these word classes in his/her environment. Another
characteristic is overextension . Children always begin acquiring
semantics by overextending meaning, for instance by using the word
dog
for all animals if the first animal they are confronted with isa dog.
Or by calling all males papa
or by using spoon
for all items of cutlery.
The generalisationhere is that children move from the general to the
particular. To begin with their language is undifferentiated on all
linguistic levels. With time they introduce more and more distinctions
as they are repeatedly confronted with these from their surroundings.
Increasing distinctions in language may well be linked to increasing
cognitive development: the more discriminating the child's perception
and understanding of the world, the more he/she will strive to reflect
this in language.

0) 0.0 -0.3 Organic sounds, crying, cooing
1) 0.4 -0.5 Beginning of the babbling phase
2) 0.10 -1 The first comprehensible words. After
this follow one-word, two-word and
many-word sentences. The only word
stages is known as the holophrastic
stage; Telegraphic speech refers to
speech with only nouns and verbs.
3) 2.6 Inflection occurs, negation, interrogative
and imperative sentences
4) 3.0 A vocabulary of about 1000 words
5) 5.0 The main syntactic rules have been
acquired
These divisions of the early period of first language
acquisition are approximate and vary from individual to
individual.

Unconscious knowledgeUnconscious knowledge
►►For the linguist the metaphor of the iceberg is very For the linguist the metaphor of the iceberg is very
useful: nine tenths of language is under the surface. useful: nine tenths of language is under the surface.
For instance, none of the present public would For instance, none of the present public would
probably be in a position to list and describe the probably be in a position to list and describe the
sentence structures of their native language. sentence structures of their native language.
Nonetheless you use these hundreds of times each day Nonetheless you use these hundreds of times each day
in wellin well –formed sentences. Perhaps a medical formed sentences. Perhaps a medical
comparison might be helpful here: you use the muscles comparison might be helpful here: you use the muscles
of your body constantly in order to move your limbs or of your body constantly in order to move your limbs or
to keep your balance while standing. You can do that to keep your balance while standing. You can do that
without knowing how it works. But your central without knowing how it works. But your central
nervous system 'knows' how the muscles are nervous system 'knows' how the muscles are
innervated.innervated.Insights from language acquisitionInsights from language acquisition

One can One can recogniserecognise here that there are two types of here that there are two types of
knowledge: knowledge which one can express in words knowledge: knowledge which one can express in words –
e.g. the rules of chess e.g. the rules of chess –and unconscious knowledge and unconscious knowledge
which is activated without reflection, for instance, when which is activated without reflection, for instance, when
speaking your native language. Such unconscious speaking your native language. Such unconscious
knowledge is based on the knowledge is based on the internalisationinternalisation of language of language
structures which we extracted from our environment as structures which we extracted from our environment as
children.children.
InputInput
Language in our surroundingsLanguage in our surroundings
Action by childAction by child
(i) (i) extraction of structuresextraction of structures
(ii) (ii) storage in long term memory asstorage in long term memory as
unconscious knowledgeunconscious knowledgeInsights from language acquisitionInsights from language acquisition

Language as an instinct, as an innate facultyLanguage as an instinct, as an innate faculty
►►An instinct is a tendency to do something which when An instinct is a tendency to do something which when
triggered in childhood cannot be rejected, it is not a triggered in childhood cannot be rejected, it is not a
matter of conscious decision. For instance, there is no matter of conscious decision. For instance, there is no
adult who crawls around on all fours, we cannot refuse adult who crawls around on all fours, we cannot refuse
to walk upright because this is an instinct. The to walk upright because this is an instinct. The
development of an instinct takes place immediately development of an instinct takes place immediately
after birth and is completed quickly.after birth and is completed quickly.Insights from language acquisitionInsights from language acquisition

If one applies this view to language acquisition then one can If one applies this view to language acquisition then one can
maintain the following.maintain the following.
1)1)No child makes a conscious decision to learn a language.No child makes a conscious decision to learn a language.
2)2)No child has ever refused to learn the language spoken in his/heNo child has ever refused to learn the language spoken in his/he r r
environment.environment.
3)3)Acquisition is unconscious and can be compared with the unfoldinAcquisition is unconscious and can be compared with the unfoldin g g
of other instincts, for instance that of binaural hearing or telof other instincts, for instance that of binaural hearing or tel escopic escopic
vision.vision.
Linguists furthermore assume that we know what language is and Linguists furthermore assume that we know what language is and
how we are to react to it, i.e. by acquiring it. To put it simplhow we are to react to it, i.e. by acquiring it. To put it simpl y: the y: the
language faculty is innate so that the child can immediately prolanguage faculty is innate so that the child can immediately pro cess cess
the language he/she hears in the surroundings. The child must nothe language he/she hears in the surroundings. The child must no t t
wait for instructions from the parents before acquiring his/her wait for instructions from the parents before acquiring his/her native native
language.language.Insights from language acquisitionInsights from language acquisition

The decline in the ability to learn languageThe decline in the ability to learn language
In general one can maintain that after puberty the ability to acIn general one can maintain that after puberty the ability to ac quire a quire a
language language –in the technical sense of learning with native speaker in the technical sense of learning with native speaker
competence competence –drops off radically and is never gained again. There drops off radically and is never gained again. There
are two major hypotheses about why this should be the case. The are two major hypotheses about why this should be the case. The
hypotheses may well be related to each other.hypotheses may well be related to each other.
1) Due to the 1) Due to the lateralisationlateralisation of the brain of the brain –shortly before puberty shortly before puberty –the the
brain loses flexibility and receptiveness, at least for unconscibrain loses flexibility and receptiveness, at least for unconsci ous ous
learning. By learning. By lateralisationlateralisation one means the fixing of functions of the one means the fixing of functions of the
brain to one half only.brain to one half only.
2) With sexual maturity at puberty strong hormonal changes take 2) With sexual maturity at puberty strong hormonal changes take place place
with humans. These lead to a reduction of the playful element with humans. These lead to a reduction of the playful element
which is typical of children. The spontaneous which is typical of children. The spontaneous behaviourbehaviour of children of children
decreases drastically with the onset of puberty. A certain rigiddecreases drastically with the onset of puberty. A certain rigid ity is ity is
characteristic of adults characteristic of adults visvisa a visvischildren and this also affects the children and this also affects the
ability to learn languages.ability to learn languages.Insights from language acquisitionInsights from language acquisition

What do we know at the end of the day?What do we know at the end of the day?
Now we can view the stages of native language acquisition in morNow we can view the stages of native language acquisition in mor e e
detail.detail.
1)1)Children hear fragments of language in their environment. They Children hear fragments of language in their environment. They
then abstract the underlying structures behind what they hear.then abstract the underlying structures behind what they hear.
2)2)Children then Children then internaliseinternalise the structure they gained the structure they gained –for instance the for instance the
structures of sentences structures of sentences –and later on they use these when they and later on they use these when they
wish to form new sentences without considering whether they havewish to form new sentences without considering whether they have
heard an actual sentence before or not. This process is called heard an actual sentence before or not. This process is called
sentence generationsentence generation
in linguistics.in linguistics.Insights from language acquisitionInsights from language acquisition

Contrasting features of first and second
language acquisition
FLA SLA
no conscious choice choicemade by learner
very rapid relatively slow
no instruction instructionis usual
high competence reached competence attained varies greatly
Possible reasons for differences between FLA and SLA
SLA occurs against the background of FLA (interference hypothesis)
FLA takes place before puberty (adulthood)
FLA takes place before lateralisationof brain (just before puberty)

Recommended literatureRecommended literature
AitchisonAitchison , Jean 1998. , Jean 1998. The articulate mammal. An introduction The articulate mammal. An introduction
to psycholinguisticsto psycholinguistics
. London: . London: RoutledgeRoutledge . .
Clark, Herbert H. 1996. Clark, Herbert H. 1996. Using languageUsing language
. Cambridge: . Cambridge:
University Press. University Press.
Fletcher, Paul and Michael Fletcher, Paul and Michael GarmonGarmon ((edseds) 1979 and later ) 1979 and later
Language acquisitionLanguage acquisition
Cambridge: University Press. Cambridge: University Press.
Gregory, Richard L. (ed.) 1987. Gregory, Richard L. (ed.) 1987. The Oxford companion to the The Oxford companion to the
mindmind
. Oxford: University Press. . Oxford: University Press.
Lust, Barbara and Claire Foley (eds) 2004. Language
acquisition: The essential readings.
Malden, MA: Blackwell.
Steinberg, Danny 1993. Steinberg, Danny 1993. An introduction to psycholinguisticsAn introduction to psycholinguistics
. .
London: Longman.London: Longman.