Second language acquisition/Related Articles

Parent topics

Language (general) [r]: A type of communication system, commonly used in linguistics, computer science and other fields to refer to different systems, including 'natural language' in humans, programming languages run on computers, and so on. ^[e]
Linguistics [r]: The scientific study of language. ^[e]
Language acquisition [r]: The study of how language comes to users of first and second languages. ^[e]
Psychology [r]: The study of systemic properties of the brain and their relation to behaviour. ^[e]
Cognitive science [r]: The scientific study either of mind or intelligence and includes parts of cognitive psychology, linguistics and computer science. ^[e]
Neuroscience [r]: The study of nervous systems and their components. ^[e]

Critical period hypothesis [r]: Hypothesis which claims that there is an ideal 'window' of time to acquire language in a linguistically rich environment, after which this is no longer possible. ^[e]
Behaviorism [r]: A major branch of psychology, started by Ivan Pavlov, which characterizes behavior in terms of stimuli and responses ^[e]
Nativism (psychology) [r]: theory that certain traits of a species emerge from a mind that is already prepared for its environment, e.g. the language ability is not learned but 'acquired' due to innate processes. ^[e]
Multilingualism [r]: The state of knowing two or more languages, either in individuals or whole speech communities. ^[e]
Fossilization (language acquisition) [r]: loss of progress in second language acquisition, where learners no longer move towards native-like ability in the second language, often despite constant exposure to it. ^[e]
Language attrition [r]: The loss of a first or second language or a portion of that language by individuals. ^[e]

Universal grammar [r]: Add brief definition or description
Generative linguistics [r]: School of thought within linguistics that makes use of the concept of a generative grammar. ^[e]
Contrastive analysis [r]: Add brief definition or description
Creolistics [r]: The study of creole and pidgin languages. ^[e]

Applied linguistics [r]: The application of linguistic theories to practical issues and problems, such as language learning. ^[e]
Language teaching [r]: Add brief definition or description
Communicative approach [r]: Add brief definition or description
Comprehension approach [r]: several methodologies of language learning that emphasise understanding of language rather than speaking. ^[e]
Monitor theory [r]: Hypotheses developed by the linguist Stephen Krashen to explain and predict the process of second language acquisition. ^[e]