The 9 Essential Terms of Second Language Acquisition | Science Behind Language Learning

Summary

This video introduces essential terms for understanding Second Language Acquisition (SLA). Caitlin explains nine key concepts, starting with SLA itself, which can refer to both a field of study and the process of learning a second language. Terms like first language (L1), second language (L2), acquisition, input, output, and proficiency are clarified, emphasizing their roles in language learning. The video also explores bilingualism and the challenges of defining proficiency. Aimed at helping viewers grasp foundational ideas in SLA, this video offers resources like flashcards to aid learning.

Takeaways

• 📚 Second Language Acquisition (SLA) is both a scientific field and a process of learning a second language.
• ✏️ SLA, as a field of study, focuses on the learning and teaching of additional languages after the first language.
• 🗣️ The distinction between first language (L1) and second language (L2) is crucial, with L1 being acquired early in life and L2 referring to any language learned after L1.
• 🌍 Second languages can be any additional languages, including third, fourth, or more languages, and are sometimes called foreign or target languages.
• 👶 First language refers to the language learned in early childhood, typically from caregivers, and is often called the native language.
• 🧠 The term 'acquisition' in SLA refers to the process of developing language skills, and while historically separated from 'learning,' both terms are now used synonymously.
• 👥 Learners of a second language are often referred to as 'second language learners,' and may also be called users, speakers, writers, or signers depending on the context.
• 🎧 Input refers to the language learners are exposed to, while output refers to the language they produce, both being critical for second language development.
• 📈 Proficiency is the level of ability in a language and is usually measured on a scale from beginner to native-like, though it's hard to define and measure consistently.
• 🌐 Bilingualism exists on a spectrum, and the term can describe anyone who speaks two or more languages, with no clear-cut answers for when someone is considered bilingual.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the field of second language acquisition (SLA)?

The primary focus of second language acquisition (SLA) is the learning and teaching of second and subsequent languages. It is a subfield of linguistics that scientifically studies language learning.

How can you differentiate between the two meanings of 'second language acquisition'?

Second language acquisition can refer either to the scientific field of study or the process of learning a second language. In writing, the field is capitalized (SLA) and the process is written in lowercase (l2 acquisition). Context helps clarify which meaning is intended.

What is a first language (L1) and when is it typically acquired?

A first language (L1) is any language learned very early in life, typically from birth to around age four. It is usually learned from parents, caregivers, or close relatives.

What is a second language (L2), and how does it differ from a first language?

A second language (L2) is any language learned after the first language. It could be the second, third, or even fifteenth language a person learns. While a first language is acquired in early childhood, second languages are learned later in life.

What is the difference between acquisition and learning in the context of SLA?

Historically, acquisition and learning were considered separate processes, with acquisition referring to a more natural development of language skills. However, today the terms are treated synonymously, both referring to the process of developing language ability.

What are input and output, and why are they important in second language learning?

Input refers to the language a learner is exposed to (listening, reading, viewing), while output is the language a learner produces (speaking, writing, signing). Both are crucial for language development, as input provides examples and context, while output allows learners to practice and refine their language skills.

How is proficiency in a second language measured, and why is it challenging?

Proficiency refers to an individual's level of ability in a language, often measured on scales ranging from beginner to native-like. It's challenging to define and measure because proficiency can vary across different language skills (e.g., reading, speaking) and is influenced by various factors.

What does it mean to be bilingual, and how does it relate to second language acquisition?

Bilingualism refers to the ability to speak two or more languages, but it exists on a spectrum. People who learn two languages from birth are often considered bilinguals, but the term can also apply to individuals who learn another language later in life. Bilingualism and SLA are closely related fields, with SLA focusing on the learning process and bilingualism on living with multiple languages.

What is the 'intermediate plateau' in second language learning?

The 'intermediate plateau' refers to the large middle ground of language proficiency where many learners feel stuck. It occurs when learners have reached an intermediate level but struggle to progress to advanced levels of proficiency.

What are some alternative terms for 'second language learners'?

In addition to 'second language learners,' individuals may also be referred to as second language users, speakers, writers, or signers. These terms emphasize using the language rather than focusing solely on the acquisition process.

Outlines

00:00

🎒 Introduction to Second Language Acquisition Essentials

The video kicks off with Caitlin introducing the concept of creating a 'packing list' of essential terms for understanding Second Language Acquisition (SLA). She emphasizes that while some terms may be familiar, their usage in linguistics might differ. The goal is to equip viewers with foundational knowledge before diving deeper into the subject. The first key term introduced is 'Second Language Acquisition,' which is a scientific field focused on the study of learning and teaching additional languages. Caitlin explains that 'SLA' is commonly used as an abbreviation and distinguishes between its two meanings: the field of study and the process of learning a second language.

05:00

🧠 First vs. Second Language and the Concept of Acquisition

This section delves into the definition of 'First Language' (L1) and 'Second Language' (L2). A first language is typically learned from birth to early childhood and may also be referred to as a native language or mother tongue. The video discusses the complexity of defining a second language, which could be any language learned after the first, including third, fourth, or subsequent languages. Caitlin then introduces the term 'Acquisition,' explaining that it refers to the process of developing a skill—in this case, language ability. She notes that while early research distinguished between acquisition and learning, these terms are now often used interchangeably.

10:01

👩‍🏫 Learners, Input, Output, and Proficiency in SLA

Caitlin introduces 'Second Language Learners,' who are individuals engaged in the lifelong process of learning additional languages. The terms 'input' and 'output' are crucial in this process—input refers to the target language that learners are exposed to, while output is the language they produce. The importance of both input and output in developing language proficiency is emphasized. Proficiency is then defined as the level of ability in a language, which can vary across different skills like reading and speaking. Caitlin highlights the challenges learners face, such as the 'intermediate plateau,' where progress may stall.

🔄 Bilingualism and its Connection to SLA

The final part of the video explores the term 'Bilingual,' which refers to individuals who speak two or more languages. Caitlin discusses the ambiguity around when someone can be considered bilingual, especially for those who learn a second language later in life. She explains that bilingualism exists on a spectrum and that SLA and bilingualism are related but distinct fields of study. While SLA focuses on the process of learning additional languages, bilingualism research is more concerned with living with multiple languages. The video concludes by summarizing the nine essential terms and encourages viewers to use the provided flashcards for further study.

Keywords

💡Second Language Acquisition (SLA)

Second Language Acquisition (SLA) refers to both the scientific study of learning and teaching second and subsequent languages, as well as the process of learning a second language. In the video, this term is introduced as a major focus of the discussion. It is abbreviated as 'SLA' when referring to the field, and 'L2 acquisition' when referring to the process.

💡First Language (L1)

A first language, or L1, is any language learned early in life, typically from birth or even before birth. It is often referred to as the native language or mother tongue. In the video, it is clarified that this is the language learned in infancy from caregivers, and many individuals may have multiple first languages.

💡Second Language (L2)

A second language (L2) is any additional language learned after the first language. This can include a person’s second, third, or even fifteenth language. The term can be used interchangeably with foreign or target language. The video explains that even in cases where a person learns two languages from birth, any subsequent language is considered a second language.

💡Acquisition

Acquisition in the context of SLA refers to the process of developing language skills. Although historically acquisition and learning were seen as distinct processes, today they are often treated synonymously. The video highlights that the term 'acquisition' refers to the overall process of picking up a new language.

💡Second Language Learners

Second language learners are individuals who are in the process of acquiring a new language beyond their first language. The video emphasizes that second language learning is often a lifelong process, and the term also includes those who are still actively working on developing their skills.

💡Input

Input refers to the exposure a language learner has to the target language, through listening, reading, or viewing. It is a crucial component in the language learning process. The video points out that rich and diverse input from various sources is essential for effective language learning.

💡Output

Output refers to the production of the target language by the learner, either through speaking, writing, or signing. The video explains that while input is necessary for language development, output helps learners practice and grasp more complex linguistic concepts, making it an essential part of the learning process.

💡Proficiency

Proficiency is the level of skill or ability an individual has in a language. The video describes it as a scale that ranges from beginner to native-like ability. Proficiency can vary across different skills, such as reading, writing, or speaking, and is important in measuring a learner's progress.

💡Bilingualism

Bilingualism refers to the ability to speak and understand two languages fluently. The video explains that it is a spectrum, and includes individuals who learn languages from birth as well as those who acquire a second language later in life. The distinction between bilingualism and SLA is also noted, though the two fields are interrelated.

💡Intermediate Plateau

The intermediate plateau is a stage in language learning where learners find themselves stuck in the middle range of proficiency, despite continued study. The video briefly mentions this concept to illustrate the challenges learners face in progressing to higher levels of fluency.

Highlights

Introduction of 'second language acquisition' (SLA) as a scientific field focusing on the learning and teaching of second and subsequent languages.

'SLA' can refer to both the field of study and the process of learning a second language, depending on context.

Distinction between the capitalized term 'SLA' (the field) and lowercase 'l2 acquisition' (the process).

Definition of 'first language' (L1) as a language learned very early in life, typically from birth to around age four.

Explanation of 'second language' (L2) as any additional language learned after the first language, regardless of how many languages are learned.

Concept of 'acquisition' refers to developing a skill, and within SLA, it denotes the learning of language abilities.

Earlier distinction between 'acquisition' and 'learning' has largely been disregarded in modern research, with both terms now used synonymously.

'Second language learners' are defined as individuals in the process of acquiring a second language, and can also be referred to as 'users,' 'speakers,' 'writers,' or 'signers.'

Definition of 'input' as the language learners are exposed to through listening, reading, or viewing (for sign languages), and 'output' as the language they produce.

Importance of both input and output in second language development, where learners need practice with producing language to master grammatical concepts.

'Proficiency' refers to an individual's level of ability in a language, often measured on a scale ranging from beginner to native-like.

Concept of the 'intermediate plateau,' where many language learners find themselves stuck between basic and advanced proficiency.

Proficiency levels can differ by skill, such as having advanced reading skills but only intermediate speaking proficiency.

'Bilingualism' is defined as a spectrum, encompassing anyone who speaks two or more languages, regardless of when they learned the second language.

Discussion of the nuanced relationship between 'SLA' and 'bilingualism,' with SLA focusing on the process of learning languages and bilingualism on living with multiple languages.

Transcripts

[Music]

welcome back to adventures in language

i'm your guide caitlin

in this video we're going to make a

packing list of sorts before we get too

deep into the world of second language

acquisition

we need to make sure we have our

essentials

so today i'm going to share with you

nine terms and concepts that you need to

start your journey

now you might find that some of these

terms are not new to you but the way

linguists use them might be

so actually we're doing a bit of

language learning in this video very

meta right

okay are you ready let's get started

our very first term is well second

language acquisition

second language acquisition is a

scientific field that focuses on the

learning and teaching of second and

subsequent languages

it's a subfield of linguistics which is

the scientific study of language

second language acquisition is kind of a

mouthful so people usually just call it

sla for short and you'll definitely hear

me doing that throughout the series now

here's something to look out for

second language acquisition can also

refer to the process of learning a

second language

this meaning is synonymous with second

language learning we'll come back to

that

you can usually tell whether someone is

talking about the field or the learning

process from context for example if

someone says

second language acquisition research can

inform practices in language classrooms

that's the field of study

on the other hand if someone says second

language acquisition takes more effort

than first language acquisition

that's the process

got it

you'll also see a distinction between

the two meanings in writing second

language acquisition the field

is capitalized and as i mentioned

earlier is usually abbreviated as sla

second language acquisition the process

is lower case and it's usually

abbreviated as l2 acquisition

so in this case the l is for language

the two is for second l2 so keep an eye

out for that when you're reading about

language learning

okay so now we've defined second

language acquisition in two ways no less

but you might be wondering

what is a second language

well before we get to second languages

let's start with first languages

and that brings us to our second term

first language

a first language or l1

is any language learned very early in

life

this is usually from birth or really

even before that in the womb but

certainly during the first few years of

life usually up until maybe around age

four

you might also hear the terms native

language or mother tongue to refer to a

first language

while a first language does not

necessarily have to be spoken by a

child's mother it's one that a child

hears from a parent close relative or

caregiver really someone that they often

hear speaking from a very young age

many people around the world have

multiple first languages we tend to

think of these people as bilinguals but

that's actually a complicated term that

we'll come back to in a bit okay so for

our third term let's circle back to

second language

in sla research a second language or l2

is any additional language that's

learned after the first language

now this may seem a little strange

because this means that a second

language could be the second language

that an individual is learning

but it could also be their third fourth

fifth or even fifteenth language

second languages might also be referred

to as foreign languages or target

languages or even world languages in a

classroom setting

if a person has two first languages the

next language they learned would also be

considered a second language even though

it's technically their third

things get even trickier when you think

about young children who learn one

language from birth and another from say

age two

are these both first languages is one an

early second language

if this all seems very confusing well it

kind of is but don't worry it would

probably be impossible to categorize all

the nuanced differences in the timing of

language learning for different people

so to keep it simple a first language is

a language learned in infancy and very

early childhood

and a second language is any language

learned after a first language but just

be aware that you may encounter some

gray areas

for term number four let's talk about

that a in sla acquisition

acquisition is the process of developing

a skill which in the case of sla is

language ability

to put it simply acquisition is learning

however in the early days of sla many

researchers considered acquisition and

learning to be two different processes

early attempts to distinguish between

these two terms have largely been

disregarded but you may still encounter

literature that upholds the distinction

so it's important to know that a

historical distinction exists

but today these terms can be treated

synonymously

all right so now we've covered sla and

its component parts

for term number five let's talk about

people

people who are learning or acquiring

second languages are referred to as

well second language learners

the truth is that second language

learning is in many cases a lifelong

process

and even people who have been learning a

second language for many years may still

consider themselves learners you may

also hear these individuals referred to

as users speakers writers signers

this kind of terminology places less of

an emphasis on acquiring a language and

more on actually doing something with it

so second language learners are people

who are learning second languages

but how do second language learners

learn

terms numbers 6 and 7 deal with two

crucial ingredients in the language

learning process input and output

input is the target language that a

learner is exposed to either through

listening reading or viewing for sign

languages

output is the target language that a

learner produces through speaking

writing or signing

the idea that a learner would need some

exposure to target language input is

probably fairly intuitive right

how can you learn a language if you

don't have any examples to draw on

and so learners need rich plentiful

second language input

ideally from a variety of speakers and

contexts

however research shows that input isn't

really enough when it comes to second

language development learners really

need to be pushed to produce language

that's the output part

which serves as important practice with

the language and helps learners develop

beyond understanding meaning to grasping

complex grammatical concepts

all of that input and output practice

helps learners to improve their language

proficiency which brings us to the

eighth term on our list

proficiency is an individual's level of

ability in a language

it's usually measured on a scale with

values on the low end like beginner

novice or low and values in the high end

like advanced or high or the coveted

native like

many second language learners find

themselves stuck in the very large

middle ground of intermediate

proficiency often referred to as the

intermediate plateau

proficiency levels can also be different

for different language skills

so for example you might have advanced

reading proficiency in a language but

intermediate speaking proficiency it's

important to know about proficiency

because you're very likely to come

across it when learning about sla just

know that it's actually notoriously

difficult to define and measure

our ninth and final term is bilingual i

promised you we'd come back to it and

here we are

most people would agree that someone who

learns two languages from birth and

speaks both of those languages fluently

is a bilingual but what about if you

started learning your second language as

an adult

what if you're still learning that

second language

when can you call yourself a bilingual

these are excellent questions but they

don't really have decisive scientific

answers

in some ways

you have to decide how to best describe

yourself

most linguistics researchers today would

agree that bilingualism is a spectrum

including anyone who speaks two or more

languages

sla and bilingualism are two distinct

fields of study with different origins

and central ideas

sla research focuses more on the process

of learning additional languages and the

challenges associated with that whereas

bilingualism research focuses more on

living with multiple languages but

they're highly interrelated it's not

uncommon to see academic journals books

courses and even university departments

with the name sla and bilingualism

sometimes the same individual might be

referred to as a second language learner

or maybe a late bilingual depending on

the focus of a research study

well there you have it your top nine

essential terms to get you started on

your second language acquisition journey

we defined second language acquisition

in two ways and then broke down its

component parts by clarifying the

differences between first and second

languages

and the synonymity of acquisition and

learning

we talked about learners and the input

and output that is so crucial to

developing second language proficiency

finally we covered the nuanced

relationships between sla and one of its

most closely related fields bilingualism

i hope you feel prepared to embark on

your next sla adventure if you want some

help remembering the terms that we

covered today check out the link in the

description for a link to printable

flashcards that you can use to study

these terms on the go we also created a

version that's compatible with online

flashcard tools like quizlet if that's

your preferred study method if you want

to stay in the loop on all of our

amazing videos about languages and

linguistics hit the subscribe button

thanks for watching and i'll see you

next time ciao

[Music]