Second Language Acquisition and Linguistic Development

This set of flashcards covers essential vocabulary terms related to Second Language Acquisition and linguistic development.

Language

A systematic method of communication using signs, sounds, or symbols.

Dialect

A regional or social variety of a language distinguished by pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary.

Ethnologue

An annual reference publication that provides statistics and information on the world's known living languages.

Dominant Language

The language with which a speaker has greater proficiency or uses most frequently.

Interference (L1 Transfer)

When structures from a first language (L1) affect the production of a second language (L2).

L1

A person's first or native language.

L2

A person's second language or any language learned after the first.

Developmental Sequence

The predictable order in which language features are acquired.

Early Vocalization

The initial sounds infants make before true speech.

Telegraphic Speech

Speech that omits grammatical markers and functional words, consisting only of essential nouns and verbs.

Sound Discrimination

The ability to distinguish between different phonemes (sounds) in a language.

Utterance

A unit of vocal expression preceded and followed by silence; it doesn't have to be a full sentence.

Overgeneralization

Applying a grammatical rule in a context where it does not apply.

Morpheme

The smallest unit of meaning in a language.

Grammatical Morpheme

Smaller units added to words to express grammatical relationships.

Morpheme Order Studies

Research indicating that both L1 and L2 learners acquire grammatical morphemes in a remarkably similar, predictable order.

Copula

A linking verb that joins the subject to an adjective or noun.

Auxiliary Verb

A 'helping' verb used with a main verb.

Sequential Bilingualism

Learning a second language after the first is already established.

Simultaneous Bilingualism

Learning two languages at the same time from birth.

Code-switching

The practice of alternating between two or more languages or dialects in a single conversation.

Additive Bilingualism

Learning a second language while maintaining the first.

Subtractive Bilingualism

Learning a second language at the expense of the first.

BICS (Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills)

Social, conversational fluency; usually takes 1–2 years to acquire.

CALP (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency)

Formal academic learning; the ability to use language for abstract thinking and school subjects.

Language Disorder

A significant impairment in the ability to understand or use spoken or written language.

Language Delay

When a child’s language develops in the right sequence but at a slower rate than peers.

Declarative (Word Order)

A statement structure (Subject + Verb + Object).

Interrogative (Word Order)

The structure used for questions.

Inversion

Reversing the standard word order, often for questions.

Fronting

Moving a word or phrase to the beginning of a sentence for emphasis.

Tag Question

A short question added to the end of a statement.

Negative Question

A question framed in the negative.

Embedded Question

A question contained within another statement or question.

Relative Clause

A clause that describes a noun.

Accessibility Hierarchy

A theory stating that certain relative clause types are easier to learn than others.

Contrastive Analysis (CA/CAH)

The study of the differences between two languages to predict learner mistakes.

Error Analysis

A technique for identifying and describing the errors learners make.

Interlanguage

The version of a language a learner creates as they transition from their L1 to the target L2.

Fossilization

When a learner’s progress in an L2 plateaus and errors become permanent.

Innatism

The theory that humans are born with a biological 'Language Acquisition Device' (LAD).

Critical Period Hypothesis (CPH)

The idea that there is a specific window of time for acquiring a language with native-like proficiency.