The critical period hypothesis

Who is the theorist?

Eric Lenneberg

Main theory?

• Part of a long-standing linguistic debate over whether the ability to acquire language is biologically linked to age

When does language acquisition become more difficult?

When the ‘window’ of time to acquire language in a linguistically rich environment has passed

• there are natural constraints on the time a fist language can be acquired

• The onset of puberty ‘closes the window’

More modern ‘window of time’

Critical period is now believed to be around 7

Situations where children would grow in a ‘linguistically impoverished’ environment

• hard of hearing or mute parents

• Raised in different L1 country

• Child may be blind/deaf

• Neglect or abuse

Jim case study (Bard and Sach)

Jim was child who grew up with deaf parents whose language development was significantly worse than other children his age

• needed language and speech therapist and eventually caught up; caught before critical age passed