Introduction to Second Language Acquisition
Summary
TLDRThis video script delves into second language acquisition (SLA), contrasting it with first language learning. It explains the concepts of L1 and L2, the natural and formal learning processes, and the roles of innate capacity and social experience. The script also touches on different types of language learning, such as informal, formal, and mixed settings, and discusses the challenges and phenomena associated with SLA, including positive and negative transfer, ultimately aiming to provide insights into how languages are acquired beyond childhood.
Takeaways
- 🌟 The distinction between L1 (first language) and L2 (second language) is based on the order of acquisition, with L1 being acquired naturally from early childhood and L2 requiring more conscious effort.
- 📚 Second Language Acquisition (SLA) is the study of individuals learning a language subsequent to their first language and encompasses both formal and informal learning settings.
- 🏫 Formal L2 learning occurs in classrooms, while informal L2 learning happens through naturalistic contexts, such as immersion in a foreign environment.
- 🌐 The term 'second language' is used regardless of how many languages one learns after the first, including third, fourth, or subsequent languages.
- 🎯 The target language (TL) is the language that learners aim to acquire, whether it's for education, employment, or other purposes.
- 🌱 Simultaneous multilingualism refers to the acquisition of more than one language during early childhood, while sequential multilingualism involves learning additional languages after L1 is established.
- 🌐 Multilingualism is the ability to use two or more languages, and it's often used interchangeably with bilingualism, which specifically refers to two languages.
- 👶 Innate capacity for language learning is genetically given to every human child, allowing them to master the complexity of language without conscious effort.
- 🔄 Positive transfer in L2 learning occurs when an L1 structure or rule is correctly applied in the L2, while negative transfer happens when it leads to errors.
- 📈 The development of L1 and L2 is systematic and includes predictable sequences, but L2 learners may not reach the same level of native-like competence due to various factors.
- 📝 The final state of L2 learning may include instances of L1 interference or creative structures, indicating that not all learners achieve full native-like proficiency.
Q & A
What is the difference between a first language (L1) and a second language (L2)?
-A first language (L1) is the language an individual learns from a very young age without much conscious effort. A second language (L2) is any language learned after the first language and typically requires more deliberate effort in learning.
What is meant by 'second language acquisition' (SLA)?
-Second language acquisition (SLA) refers to the study of individuals or groups learning a language subsequent to their first language as young children, as well as the process of learning that language.
How does informal L2 learning occur?
-Informal L2 learning takes place in naturalistic contexts, such as when a Filipino child goes to the U.S. and naturally picks up the English language by interacting with native speakers.
What is an example of formal L2 learning?
-Formal L2 learning occurs in a classroom setting, like when a Filipino student attends a Korean language school to prepare for living or working in Korea.
What is the distinction between a second language and a foreign language?
-A second language is typically needed for education, employment, or other basic purposes within a learner's immediate social context. A foreign language, on the other hand, is not widely used in the learner's social context and may be studied for future travel, cross-cultural communication, or as part of a school curriculum without immediate practical application.
What is simultaneous multilingualism?
-Simultaneous multilingualism is the acquisition of more than one language during early childhood.
What is sequential multilingualism?
-Sequential multilingualism refers to learning additional languages after the first language has already been established.
What is the role of innate capacity in language learning?
-The innate capacity or natural ability in language learning suggests that every human child is born with a genetically given ability to learn language structures, which allows them to master the complexity of languages they are exposed to.
How does social experience influence L1 and L2 learning?
-Social experience is crucial in language learning as children acquire language-specific features through exposure and interaction with the language used around them. This experience is essential for learning the nuances that distinguish their L1 from other languages.
What are the three states of language learning?
-The three states of language learning are the initial state, the intermediate states, and the final state. The initial state involves the innate capacity to learn language, the intermediate states involve the systematic development of language skills, and the final state is the outcome of L1 or L2 learning, which is native-like competence for L1 and variable proficiency for L2.
What is positive transfer in L2 learning?
-Positive transfer in L2 learning occurs when a structure or rule from the first language is used in the second language and is appropriate or correct in the second language context.
What factors can influence the final state of L2 learning?
-Factors that can influence the final state of L2 learning include feedback, aptitude (memory capacity and analytic ability), motivation, and instruction or explicit teaching in school settings.
Outlines
🌍 Understanding First and Second Languages
This paragraph introduces the concept of first language (L1) and second language (L2) acquisition. It explains that L1 is the language learned from a very young age without much effort, while L2 requires conscious effort to learn. The paragraph also touches on multilingualism and the terminology used in second language acquisition, emphasizing that all additional languages learned after L1 are considered second languages.
📘 Formal vs. Informal Second Language Learning
This paragraph discusses the differences between formal and informal second language learning. Formal learning occurs in structured settings like classrooms, while informal learning happens naturally in everyday contexts. Examples include a Filipino student studying Korean formally in a language school versus a Filipino child picking up English informally by interacting with native speakers in the U.S.
👶 The Nature of First Language Acquisition
This paragraph explores how first language acquisition happens naturally and effortlessly in early childhood. It explains that children have an innate capacity to learn languages, which is genetically embedded. The text highlights how children can distinguish grammatical sentences and create new utterances, demonstrating their remarkable ability to master complex language systems without formal instruction.
🌱 Stages of Language Learning: Initial to Final State
This paragraph outlines the stages of language learning: the initial state, intermediate state, and final state. It contrasts L1 and L2 learning, discussing theories on whether innate language learning abilities persist into adulthood. The text also introduces concepts like positive and negative transfer, where L1 structures either facilitate or interfere with L2 learning.
🔄 Intermediate States and Transfer in Language Learning
This paragraph delves into the intermediate states of language learning, where learners progress from initial to final linguistic competence. It discusses systematic development, spontaneous learning, and the influence of cognitive maturity. The text also explains positive and negative transfer, cross-linguistic influence, and the factors affecting L2 learning, such as feedback, aptitude, motivation, and instruction.
🏆 Final State of Language Learning
This paragraph discusses the final state of language learning, comparing native linguistic competence in L1 and L2. It explains that while L1 learners achieve native competence, L2 learners' proficiency varies. Some attain near-native fluency, while others exhibit L1 interference. The text concludes with a preview of upcoming discussions on theories of second language acquisition.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡First Language (L1)
💡Second Language (L2)
💡Second Language Acquisition (SLA)
💡Formal L2 Learning
💡Informal L2 Learning
💡Simultaneous Multilingualism
💡Sequential Multilingualism
💡Native Language
💡Positive Transfer
💡Negative Transfer
💡Innate Capacity
Highlights
Differentiation between L1 (first language) and L2 (second language) based on the order of acquisition and effort involved.
First language acquisition occurs naturally without much conscious effort, unlike second language learning which requires intentional effort.
Second language acquisition (SLA) encompasses both the study of individuals learning a language after their first and the process of learning that language.
The term 'second language' is used regardless of how many languages one acquires after the first, including third, fourth, or fifth languages.
Informal L2 learning occurs naturally in social contexts, such as a Filipino child learning English in the U.S.
Formal L2 learning takes place in educational settings, like attending a language school to learn Korean.
A combination of formal and informal L2 learning can enhance language acquisition, as seen in a student learning Korean both in class and through social interactions.
A second language is often an official or societally dominant language needed for practical purposes like education and employment.
A foreign language is not widely used in the learner's social context and may be studied for future travel or cross-cultural communication.
Library language and auxiliary language are terms used to describe specific functions of languages in academic and political settings, respectively.
The terms 'first language', 'native language', 'primary language', and 'mother tongue' are often used interchangeably and are considered synonymous.
Simultaneous multilingualism refers to the acquisition of more than one language during early childhood, while sequential multilingualism refers to learning additional languages after L1 establishment.
Multilingualism is the ability to use two or more languages, whereas monolingualism is the ability to use only one language.
Language learning is influenced by both innate capacity and social experience, with children acquiring the language used around them.
Children's ability to create new utterances and recognize grammatical sentences is a remarkable demonstration of their innate capacity for language learning.
The role of natural ability suggests that language structures are genetically given to every human child, accounting for the ease with which children learn language.
L1 and L2 learning involve different stages, including initial, intermediate, and final states, with each stage having distinct characteristics and challenges.
Positive transfer in L2 learning occurs when an L1 structure or rule is correctly applied in the second language, while negative transfer results in errors.
The final state of L1 learning is native linguistic competence, whereas the final state of L2 learning may include instances of L1 interference or creative structures.
Transcripts
good day everyone today our topic is
second language
acquisition so we will talk about um l1
or first language
l2 or second language multilingual sm
formal l2 learning informal l2 learning
and many more so first we'll have
to differentiate l1 from l2
so what do we mean when we say first
language or
l1 every every individual
since their very young age they have
learned at least one language
and we call that as the first language
and the language that is learned after
that first language
is what we call second language
so how is first language different from
second language
um usually if we say first language this
is learned without much
effort or without much thinking about it
while learning the second language needs
some effort
in learning it we will talk more
on acquiring the second language as we
go on with the discussion in this second
language
acquisition second language
acquisition or sla refers
both to the study of individuals in
groups who are learning a language
subsequent to
learning their first one as young
children and to the process of learning
that language the additional language is
called second language or l2
even if there are other languages that
you learned after the first language
like there is
third language fourth or fifth tense
language that you acquire you still call
that second language
there's no such thing as third language
fourth language
and so on and so forth only
second language no matter how many
languages
you acquire after your first language
still
they are called second language it is
also commonly called
as target language or tiau
which refers to any language that is
the aim or goal of learning how
the scope of this discussion is informal
l2 learning
which takes place in naturalistic
contexts
and which i will be explaining later and
for mal alto learning that takes place
in classrooms
and there's also the combination of the
two
l2 learning that involves a mixture of
the settings and circumstances okay let
me give you an example
um informal out to learning first so a
filipino child goes to the u.s
and studies there um he naturally talks
to
native speakers and picks up their
language
and then eventually talks their language
and
that becomes his second language so that
is informal l2 learning
how about formal l2 learning for example
a filipino student goes to a korean
language school
because he is going to korea
or he's going to work there or study
there so he goes to school to study the
language
so that is formal second language
learning now a mixture of this do is
a person wants to go to korea he has to
enroll korean class
to learn how to speak the language and
then
goes outside in the market um with her
or his friends he talks in
that target language korean language
that is a mixture of formal and informal
second language learning so he goes to
school
studies the language but goes out and
in his environment he also uses that
language
in talking to other people that's a
mixture of formal and
informal second language learning
so i repeat informal l2 learning
takes place in naturalistic contexts
formal l2 learning takes place in
classrooms
and l2 learning involves a mixture of
these settings and circumstances that is
a mixture of
informal and formal l2
learning now let's talk more about what
is a second language a second language
is typically an official or societally
dominant
language needed for education
employment and other basic purposes
it is often acquired by minority group
members of
immigrants who speak another language
natively
how about a foreign language a foreign
language
is one not widely used in the learner's
immediate social context which might be
used for future travels
or other cross-cultural communication
situations
or studied as a curricular requirement
or elective in school but with no
immediate or necessary practical
application just like for example
in um in senior high school there's
als already an elective which is
foreign language so the students can
choose whether they will study korean
french chinese or whatever is offered in
their particular school
also in doctorate programs they offer
foreign
language subjects
next a library language is one
which functions primarily as a tool for
further learning through reading
especially when books or journals in the
desired field of study are not commonly
published in the learner's native
song okay and an auxiliary language
is one which learners need to know for
some
official functions in their immediate
political setting
or will need for purpose of wider
communication although their first
language serves most other needs in
their
lives usually when we say auxiliary
language
this happens when two persons speak
entirely different languages and they
need a language
a common one which may which will make
them
understand each other so that's
auxiliary language
okay now what is first language
so we have the terms first language
native language
primary language and mother tongue most
of the time these
terms are used
interchangeably or or some linguists
also believe that these terms are
actually synonymous to one another
because there's no clear cut or cut
differences
among these terms so remember first
language native language
primary language mother tongue we will
meet
these terms as we go on with the
alaskans
under um s ala or second language
acquisition
acquisition of more than one language
during early childhood is called
simultaneous
multilingualism i repeat it's
simultaneous multilingualism when
the acquisition happens during the early
childhood sequential
multilingualism is learning additional
languages
after l1 has already been
established so we'll talk more on that
as we go on
multilingualism refers to the ability to
use two
or more languages some linguists and
psychologists use bilingualism for the
ability to use two languages
and multilingualism for more than two
but for the purpose of studying
acquisition in this subject um second
language acquisition
we will have to make use of
multilingualism
okay monolingualism
refers to the ability to use only one
language okay let's see
how about you how many languages can you
speak
as for me i can speak um filipino
but my native tongue is actually ilocano
or iloco i can speak a filipino
i can speak english and formally i
learned the
mandarin but but if you ask me to speak
in mandarin especially when
talking to a native speaker of mandarin
maybe i will not be able to
communicate properly because i took
that as a formal l2 learning
however i was not able to make use of
that
in practical applications so i
somehow have forgotten those things that
i have learned
in my foreign language and that happens
especially if there's no practice
okay now the nature of language learning
take note that even before you um
went to school even before you attended
your formal schooling you have already
established your first language and you
have already completed this
what we call development of this
language
and this happens without much conscious
effort it's
it just so happened that you learned to
talk
this was the language that you heard
and this is the language that was used
by your parents and the people around
you
and then you naturally had that
or acquired that as your first language
if we go back to some of the lessons
in developmental psychology you will
recall
that at the age of six months and in
infants has
can already produce um vowel sounds
and they usually imitate what the
parents are
speaking or saying
and so naturally children will be able
to recognize
that a certain sound or a certain word
is different from their from the
language
they are using when they hear
people using other languages
so let's talk about the role of natural
ability
humans are born with the natural ability
or innate capacity
to learn language
okay what is this innate capacity or
natural ability
in viewing the natural ability to
acquire language
in terms of innate capacity we're saying
that
part of language structures genetically
given to every human child
so this tells us that
every child when he or she is born
into this world he already has this this
innate capacity to learn the language
because it has already been been given
to every human child
now since all languages are incredibly
complex system
which no children could possibly master
in their early years
to the degree they succeed in doing so
if they had
to learn them in the usual sense of that
word
children's ability to create new
utterances is remarkable
and their ability to recognize when a
string of common words does
not constitute a grammatical sentence in
the languages even more
so for example let me give you an
example here
the child naturally uh
learns as he uses that the language that
it is not proper to say apple me
give so uh the child
will be able to sense that oh this
order of words in my sentence does not
make sense
so i think it has to be stated properly
by saying um give me an apple instead of
give apple me and so you see
um the structure of their sentences is
naturally
learned by the child as he uses the
language
[Music]
a hypothesis which many linguists and
psychologists support is that
a great many of these abstract
principles are common to all language
as opposed to the principles that are
language specific
examples specific to particular language
according to this
view those principles that are universal
are programmed into all human children
just by virtue of their being human
and this accounts for children's ability
to process the smorgasbord of sounds
and words that they hear and their
ability to come up with
essentially the same structure as other
children
given the complexity of language it is
no wonder that even
adults with their mature intellect
seldom attain native fluency in a new
language
okay if um there is a study on
native lightness in second language
acquisition
in the latter parts of this subject
on the principles of second language
acquisition
and you will find out how
non-native speakers excel
in attaining the native likeness
whenever they are speaking
or talking in conversations and in
instructional manners
so to continue almost all children with
their limited memories restricted
reasoning powers and immature analytical
abilities
a co-perfect fluency in their language
to which they are adequately exposed
and in which they interact with
others so uh that's what i was telling a
while back so
even if you learn a second language if
you are not practicing it like you are
not using it
um in practical occasions
then
then it is difficult to attain fluency
or even
mastery in using that language
now how about the role of social
experience
not all of first language acquisition
can be attributed to
innate ability for language specific
learning also plays
a crucial role even if the universal
properties of languages
are programmed in children they must
learn all those features
which distinguish their l1 from all
other possible human languages
children will never acquire such
language specific
knowledge unless that language is used
with them and around them and they will
learn to use
only the language languages used around
them no matter what their linguistic
heritage so let me give you an example
a child who is born in the philippines
with
a filipina mother and an american
father okay so if we talk about
linguistic heritage
then you will understand that since the
father is american
so he has um an english
speaking father so that makes his
linguistic heritage to be
english american english however he was
born in the philippines with the
filipina mother
and then he is exposed to people
who are talking filipino and
so um the result is the child
will now speak the philippine language
and that becomes his native tongue now
um is it possible that since the father
of this
child is um american
so is it natural that he also
knows that specific language even
without teaching him or her
that would be difficult why because
the people around him or her do not talk
to him or her in that language so
for that child learning his
ancestral language is as difficult as
just learning any other foreign language
[Music]
now let's have l1 versus l2 learning
okay we have three states the initial
state
the intermediate states and the final
state
okay so that's it so as i explained just
look at the
table that is shown there
okay those are the three phases we have
the initial
intermediate and the final state
the initial state while the initial
state in children's
minds for l1 almost surely is an
innate capacity to learn language
it is not all certain whether or not
such
natural ability is part of the initial
state in older learners for second
language
acquisition some linguists
and psychologists believe that the
genetic predisposition
which children have from birth to learn
language remains with them throughout
life and that differences
in the final outcomes of l1 and l2
learning
are attributable to other factors
others believe that some aspects of the
init capacity which
children have for l1 remain in
force of act in force for
acquisition of subsequent languages
but that some aspects in this natural
ability are lost
with advancing stage still others
believe that no innate capacity for
language acquisition remains beyond
childhood
and that subsequent languages are
learned by means
which are more akin to how older
learners acquire other dominance of
knowledge such as mathematics or history
so because it is impossible for us to
observe mental capacity for language
learning directly the different beliefs
are
based largely on theoretical assumptions
that are tested by indirect methods
which individuals who come from
different disciplinary perspectives may
not agree on so for example
many linguists rely on learners ability
to judge
which l2 utterances are not possible
okay so there's like the example that we
mentioned a while back
apple give apple give
me an an
aspect of children's first language
competence which is attributed to innate
capacity
now how about the intermediate states
both l1 and l2 learners go through
interpretate states
as they progress from their initial to
their final state linguistic systems
there's similarity in that the
development of both
l1 and l2 is largely systematic
including predictable sequencing
of many phenomena within each and some
similarity of sequencing across
languages
and in the fact that l1 and l2 learning
both play a creative role in their own
language development
and do not merely mimic what they have
heard
or been taught so we have processes um
so first one we have to note that
development is
spontaneous and largely unconscious
process
in first language child grammar
what where it is closely correlated with
cognitive maturation
in contrast the development of learner
language
or intra language for second language
learners
occur at age when cognitive maturity
cannot be considered a significant
factor
second language learners have already
reached a level of maturity where they
can understand and produce complex
utterances in their l1
and level of maturity is not language
specific
processes other than maturation must be
involved to explain development
in second language acquisition
now we will talk about positive transfer
and um negative transfer
positive transfer happens when an l1
structure or
rule is used in second language
utterance
and that use is appropriate or correct
in the second language
a negative transfer or interference when
a first language structure or rule is
used in second language utterances
and that use is inappropriate and
considered
an error cross-linguistic influence
occurs in all levels
of io vocabulary
pronunciation grammar and all other
aspects of language structure
and use supressitive transfer
facilitates second language learning
because
an l1 structure a rule that also works
for l2 means
that a new one doesn't have to be
learned
for example a word that has essentially
the same form
and meaning in both languages can
transfer appropriately from
l1 to l2 for example the word exterior
outside in a word in both spanish and
english
pronounced differently but with the same
spelling and meaning
negative transfer of l1 features can
often be inferred from forms in the
second language which are unlikely
any that are likely to be produced by a
native speaker
of the second language or our
integration of elements
which could not occur in monolingual
speech
inappropriate transfer of l1
pronunciation to l2
is detectable as a foreign accent
in a non-native speaker's production
it is probably the most common and most
easily recognized aspect of l1 influence
it is also necessary to
to consider the following conditions the
feedback
including correction of the second
language learner's errors that's
still under intermediate states
um aptitude including memory capacity
and analytic
ability motivation or need and desire to
learn
and instruction or explicit teaching in
school
settings so the final state is the
outcome of
l1 or l2 learning the final state of l1
development by definition is native
linguistic competence so after
all the processes that a person has to
go through
then the final state is already the
result
of or the outcome of the first language
and the second language learning the
final state of second language
development
again by commonly held definition can
never be totally
native linguistic competence and the
level of proficiency which learners
reach is
highly variable some learners reach at
least
near native or native-like competence
actually have mentioned a while back
about
the native likeness competence
in second language along with native
competence in first language
but many c's at some point to make
further progress toward the learning
target in
response to l2 input resulting in final
state which still includes
instances of l1 interference or creative
structures different from any
of that would be produced by a native
speaker of the l2
in the next videos we will be talking
about
theories of second language acquisition
and other
things that are needed to be discussed
in order for us to understand
how second language acquisition takes
place
thank you and god bless you
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