LEARNING LANGUAGES

Words and phrases that are related to language acquisition

FOREIGN LANGUAGE

A language that is different from the mother tongue learned at birth

MOTHER TONGUE

A native language which is specific to the region or area in which you are born

ACQUIRE

To obtain or get something

UNIQUENESS

The quality or condition of being like no other

ACCURACY

The quality or state of being correct or precise

SPELLING

Using the correct arrangement of letters when writing a word

PRONUNCIATION

The accepted standard of how a word sounds when spoken

VOWEL

The letters a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y

CONSONANT

A basic speech sound which can be combined with a vowel to form a syllable

PHONETICS

The study of the sounds of a language

LINGUISTICS

The scientific study of the structure, sounds, and meaning of language

BILINGUAL

In two languages

MULTI-LINGUAL

In more than two languages

COLLOQUIAL

Characteristic of informal spoken language

SLANG

A type of language that consists of words and phrases that are regarded as very informal, are more common in speech than writing, and are typically restricted to a particular context or group of people.

JARGON

Special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand.

FLUENCY

Smoothness of speech

UTTERANCE

Something that is said

POLYGLOT

A speaker of many languages

LINGUISTIC DIVERGENCE

The development of different languages from an ancestral language

ANCESTRAL LANGUAGE

Home or family language. In English‐speaking countries, for example, a language other than English that is spoken at home or was spoken by an individual's ancestors is considered an ancestral language

BROKEN ENGLISH

English spoken slowly with many pauses and mistakes in grammar or vocabulary

QUOTATION

Repetition of what someone else has said or written

ACHIEVE

To accomplish something rewarding

ADEPT

Highly skilled; expert at

VITAL

Necessary or essential to life

GAUGE

To measure precisely and against a standard

IMPACT

To have an effect or result

DECLINE

To decrease in power or amount

DIMINISH

To make or become less

EXPRESSION

The process of making known one's thoughts or feelings

PUNCTUATION

The use of marks such as commas, full stops, etc. in writing

MACRON

The use of bars over or below letters

MULTI-TASKING

Doing more than one activity at the same time

WISDOM

Experience and knowledge that one has

IMITATE

To copy somebody/something

PROFICIENCY

The ability to do something well because of training and practice

CRITICAL

Extremely important because a future situation will be affected by it

MONOLINGUAL

One language used

ANALYSIS

A detailed examination