The document discusses several theories of first language acquisition: 1) Behavioral approaches focus on observable responses and reinforcement/punishment, while the nativist approach sees language acquisition as innate with a language acquisition device. 2) The functional approach views language as a tool for interacting with the world and communicating socially. 3) Issues in acquisition include the interplay between nature and nurture, universals versus variability across languages, and the influence of language on thought and cognition.

1. FIRST LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
Applied Linguistics
Isabel Matos

2. THEORIES OF FIRST LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
 Behavioral approaches
 Publicly observable responses
 Reinforcement & punishment
 Nativist approach
Universal grammar Language acquisition is innate
 LAD (language acquisition device)
 Ability to distinguish speech sounds
 Ability to organize linguistic data into classes
 Knowledge that only certain system is possible
 Constant evaluation of the linguistic system

3. FUNCTIONAL APPROACH
 Language: dealing with the world
 Social context functions purposes
Pragmatics
Cognition Social interaction
What children know about the Language is used for
world determines what they interactive communication
learn about the code.

4. ISSUES IN FIRST LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
 Competence: ability to do something
 Performance: manifestation of competence
 Comprehension & production
(listening , reading)(speaking, writing)
 Nature or Nurture?
 Problems with the nativist approach
 Genetic transmission?
 What are the behaviors given by nature ? And by teaching?

5.  Universals: language is universally acquired in the
same manner and the deepest structure is the same in
all languages.
Word order
Negation
 Principles: are universal Question Formation
Agreement
 Parameters : vary across languages

6.  Systematicity and Variability
 The acquisition process is systematic but it is not clear where the
limit of its stages is (variability)
 Language and thought
Piaget: Language
depends on cognition
Behaviorist: cognition Each language imposes on Jerome Bruner:
is too mentalistic to be Its speaker a particular Language influences
studied worldview cognition
Benjamin Whorf & Edward Sapir:
Linguistics relativity

7.  Imitation
 Surface-structure imitation
 Repeating exactly the same but no understanding
 Deep-structure imitation
 My teacher holded the baby rabbits…
 Did you say that the teacher held the baby rabbits?
 Yes, she holded the baby rabbits…
 Practice and frequency
 Children’s practice and frequency of meaningful
occurrence seem to be key factors in first language
acquisition.
 Input
 Parental input is selective. Grammatical

8.  Discourse
 Children acquired language through interaction rather
than exposure.Context.
 Can you go to the movies tonight?
 I’m busy.
How do they detect pragmatics?
 FLA & language teaching
Weak theory
 François Gouin & Maximilian Berlitz
Budget
problems /
public schools
Series Method /
Direct Method Difficult to use
Naturalistic

9. “The second time around on something is always
easier. In the case of language, this is not
necessarily true.”
Douglas Brown