Language Acquisition

Language is perceived as the way humans communicate through the use of spoken words, it involves particular system and styles in which we interact with one another (Oxford 2009). Possessing this ability to communicate through the use of language is thought to be a quintessential human trait (Pinker 2000). Learning a language, know as language acquisition, is something that every child does successfully within a few years.

Language acquisition is in itself the development by which humans acquire the ability to perceive, produce and use words to understand and communicate. This capacity involves the picking up of diverse abilities including phonetics, syntax and an extensive vocabulary. This language might be vocal as with speech or manual as in sign. Language acquisition usually refers to first language acquisition, which studies infants' acquisition of their native language, rather than second language acquisition, which deals with acquisition, in both children and adults, of additional languages (Wiki).

Pinker believes that it is virtually impossible to show how children could learn a language unless one assumes that they have a considerable amount of non-linguistic cognitive machinery in place before they start. Therefore heredity must be involved in language. However, children raised in different parts of the world acquire different language skills; therefore environment must also be an essential factor. Thus the main concern is about how these factors interact during language acquisition (Pinker).

What most scientists are concerned with is how exactly the infants are able to lucratively learn the human lan...

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... the subject from effectively learning language and which may also confound conclusions. As Genie’s past was grievous, it could be said that here capacity to learn language was limited due to her mental state. Other suggestions had included that Genie was abnormal as brain scans had shown she was predominantly right-brained. Genie’s case does not prove Lennebergs’ “critical period “theory but it does strongly support it.

In conclusion, there is no distinct way in which children learn language. It is virtually impossible to show how children learn language without having presumptions of the factors that might have to be taken into account. This assumption would have to rely heavily both on the fact that a form of non-linguistic cognitive machinery must be in place before they start and the affects of social and behavioural factors must also be taken into account.