First language acquisition

 

 

 

The way in which people acquire their native language and how it is developed during the following years of their growth, and as well as the learning of a new language has always been matter of research and sometimes of discussion due to their different thoughts and experience on the subject of linguistics. Research on first language acquisition has called a lot of attention during many years, for sometime the first investigations were based only on observations on speech development however; later on new researchers began to study how language was acquire based on a cognitive and psycholinguistic process in order to conclude how do humans acquire the language. Results were better than the previous research made since it allow experts to work on the information gathered in order to prove and disapproved the differences between first and second language acquisition. As it has been stated previously learning and acquiring are not the same.            

When we talk about first language learning what comes to our minds is children, they are the best example when referring to language learning because they are like a sponge; they acquire so many things is such short time. People usually wonder how they have the capacity to absorb that amount of information during their early years in such a fast way.  These and other questions related to their process of knowledge are tried to be answered by researchers, by applying different methodologies and approaches.                                                                                                                                                    

As a child starts his/her process of discovering and learning, it can be seen that during his years when they try to communicate they go through different stages.  They babble, cry and coo during his early stage (first month), later they make sound and noises, try to imitate and repeat words (first years). By the age of three they use complete sentences or words.    

 

                                                      

The approaches mentioned during the reading represent the ideas and thoughts based on their studies on how (children) acquire language. These researchers talk about the different ways they think children learn their native language. Some of them sate that children acquire language based on behavior; learning through stages: first they acquire, and then they respond, produce and later are reinforced. Other stat (Nativist researchers) that they born already with language knowledge, later through their growth they developed thanks to an internalized system.  Lois Bloom said they learn in word order.                                                                                                                       

Although researchers continued to study language acquisition during the first years of the child and get to different conclusions as for how they are capable to learned in a short period of time; it is only necessary to watch how does the child grow and realize what is his attitude towards those things that surrounded him and how reacts and gets to absorb. Theories and approaches will continue coming about the development and understanding of the child in language they will always bring new attitudes that will continue causing attraction on them.