Language acquisition

Language acquisition – or language development – refers to the process of learning a new language. In the process, the language’s own rules in the areas of pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary are acquired, among other things (cf. Metzler Lexikon Sprache 2016, 639).

Native language acquisition/first language acquisition.

To be able to speak a language ‚correctly‘, it is not necessary to be able to name its rules. It is sufficient if it can be used. Speakers usually do this automatically when they speak in their mother tongue – also called first language.

When a young child learns to speak, he or she begins to acquire the languages around him or her. This is called unguided language acquisition. The child is not explicitly told the language’s own rules, but forms them on its own (cf. Metzler Lexikon Sprache 2016, 639 f.).

For this purpose, a child forms a „mental schema“ (Bickes/ Pauli 2009, 34): It transfers already known rules to other words. An example of this is the preterite, which is also called simple past tense. A verb in the past tense can be formed either weakly e.g. say – I said or strongly e.g. sing – I sang. Children first acquire the schema to form weak forms like I said. This schema is transferred to other verbs. Thus, overgeneralized utterances such as sing – I sang are formed, which continue to be used even when corrected. This shows how firmly the mental schema is anchored in the child. Once they have understood the past tense of strong verbs, they use the grammatically correct form (cf. Bickes/Pauli 2009, 34).

Double first language acquisition

A person can have not only one but also several mother tongues. If a child learns two or more surrounding languages at the same time at the age of up to three, this is referred to as double first language acquisition (cf. Bickes/ Pauli 2009, 92).

Second language acquisition

When a three-year-old or older child learns a new language, two types of language acquisition can be distinguished. The child may learn the new language in the same way as the first language(s).

In this case, acquisition proceeds in an uncontrolled manner. In this case, the language learned is used daily in everyday life, since it is the national language, for example. It is not acquired in a course but, for example, in conversations among friends, schoolmates or colleagues. This process is called second language acquisition. (cf. Bickes/Pauli 2009, 92 f.).

Foreign language acquisition

Alternatively, it can also be that the rules of a language are known to the speakers. This occurs, for example, when this language is learned at school or in courses. This is referred to as controlled acquisition of a foreign language (cf. Metzler Lexikon Sprache 2016, 639).

When learning a foreign language, it is noticeable that it is usually not learned in everyday conversations. Instead, conversations are introduced by tasks. Lessons are usually held in the native language of the students, not in the foreign language (cf. Bickes/Pauli 2009, 92 f.).

Immersive language acquisition

Not all foreign language teaching follows the same pattern. Immersive teaching is also titled with the term „language bath“ (Stebler 2010, 21). Behind this expression lies a form of foreign language teaching in which the focus is not on teaching the language’s own rules. Instead, students are taught the content of other subjects, among other things. The lessons take place in the foreign language to be learned.

High expectations are placed on immersive teaching. It should help the students to improve their foreign language, but at the same time also promote aspects such as intercultural education and rapprochement (cf. Stebler 2010, 21 f.).

Literature

Andresen, Helga (2016): Language acquisition. In: Glück, Helmut/ Rödel, Michael (eds.): Metzler Lexikon Sprache. 5th ed. Stuttgart: J. B. Metzler, 639 f..

Bickes, Hans/ Pauli, Ute (2009): First and second language acquisition. Paderborn: Fink.

Stebler, Rita (2010): Context and state of research. In: Stebler, Rita/ Maag Merki, Katharina (eds.): Bilingual Learning. Processes and effects of an immersive educational program at Gymnasien. Münster: Waxmann, 13-23.