The Importance Of Language Apquisition

It is apparent that in our world, humans are the only species to have developed language to such a great length. However it is still unknown why, and of what cause, we created and learn language the way we do that language amongst humans is universal despite the 7,000 different languages spoken.

Humans own the ability to acquiring language based on where they live, and what culture they were born with. Language acquisition is one of the innate capacities of human beings. It is extremely clear that this ability could be improved when people grow up. Nevertheless, the main cause that influences people’s acquisition of language is environment, because it is necessary for people to educate others appropriately. There might be limits on environment so that people cannot learn to use language, and a positive environment can also benefit people in language acquisition.

Language can be defined as a means of communication through spoken sounds, written symbols, or hand and body gestures. Subject to this simple definition language is neither human nor animal exclusive, meaning that all living creatures use some form of language to communicate. Humans have created the most advanced system of language. Human language has advanced to include listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing and visual representation. These components are known as the six language arts and while they are individual components they are as well interdependent. What you learn about one affects what and how you learn about the others.

As nonhuman primates seem to be able to communicate meaningful messages, the question arises whether our ancestors developed language from a similar state.

Examines how language develops from infancy into adulthood. Focuses on the modularity debate of how language is organized in the brain. Some theorize that language is domain-specific in that the brain has processes dedicated to the task of language learning and comprehension. Others focus on a domain-general theory for language learning where the processes used to learn language are the same processes used in other situations such as problem solving.

The first myth of the monolingual brain means that infant’s brains are monolingual and treat two different languages as the same language. This, however, is untrue; infants can learn two languages at the same time and will not get confused between the two. Evidence for the myth of the monolingual brain comes from developmental milestones, differentiated use of two languages, and grammatical constraints on bilingual code mixing. In regards to developmental milestones, bilingualism versus monolingualism has no known consequences for phonological

Linguistic discourse arises from the multiple areas: from studies of primate social behavior, from the comparison of existing human languages, from research on the development of language in children, from studies of genetic and anatomical structures, from cross-cultural studies, from the observation of earning and forming lexicon, and from the studies of the communication of bees, birds, and mammals (cit). Initially, though, language, spoken or signed, was a gestural system that evolved from so-called “mirror system” in the primate brain. Mirror system is a mechanism that allows to equate self actions with actions of others; mirror system's neurons are part of dorsal visual system (citation). The dorsal pathway projects visual information

The animal kingdom is filled with multiple different species, all with their own way to communicate. Birds tweet and twitter, cows low, horses neigh, and dogs bark. Each sound has its own specific meaning behind it, a word they use to communicate. But what exactly animals are communicating is something humans have always had an interest in. From the story of Dr. Doolittle to looking at your own pet and wondering what is going on behind their eyes and what it is exactly that they want to tell you, we all desire to know what animals mean when they bark, growl, or meow. And when it comes to primates, especially non-human primates, we grow even more interested. Primate communication has risen to a level above that of other animals in the world, to the point of speech with distinct languages and definitions. Here lies a possible missing link to discover our own language origins, by studying the communicative patterns of non-human primates. But why did primate communication evolve to such a high level? What are the pressures behind this leap forwards? By looking at one specific species, I believe we can further dig into this mystery.

Many second language acquisition theories have been developed over the years. These theories examine the avenues in which second language is acquired and the avenues in which they are

There are several theories regarding language development. Work by Chomsky, Piaget and Kuhl are critical. Studies by Chomsky, as examined by Albery, Chandler, Field, Jones, Messer, Moore and Sterling (2009); Deloache, Eisenberg & Siegler (2003) argued for the innateness of language acquisition due to its complexity. Development is assisted by a language acquisition device (LAD) and universal grammar both of which holding the propensity for commonalities throughout all languages. LAD is the key to the Syntax rule. The knowledge to master the rules is held unconsciously. Chomsky concludes exposure through auditory channels as being the only requirement for learning. Arguably Kuhl (2010) writes infantile exposure to language through auditory channels only, does not contribute effectively to learning indicating the importance of human interaction. Piaget, as discussed by Ault (1977) postulated language as not being part of the earliest stages of development. Signifying within sensorimotor stage, between birth and two years, the child’s development is too reflexive. Gleitman, Fridlund and Reisberg (2004) discuss the critical period hypothesis and suggest the young brain being more suited to acquisition than the adult brain. Lenneberg (1967) (as cited in Gleitman et al 2004) advocates, brain maturation closes language acquisition capacity window. Kuhl (2010) identified, within the critical period babies develop

The brain encodes the words and actually rearranges its brain cells into connections or networks to produce language (Fleming, Family Life Specialist, 2002). Brain research clearly indicates that language development must be fostered early in children or be impaired or lost. If a child hears little or no human sound, the brain waits in vain and eventually will "retire" these cells from this function and give these cells a different function. By age ten, if the child has not heard spoken works, the ability to learn spoken language is lost (Fleming, Family Life Specialist, 2002). In an Indiana study, implants used in young deaf children to introduce human sound actually changed the brain structure so that these youth could begin constructing a vocabulary. The "use it or lose it" principle applies to the brain and language development (Fleming, Family Life Specialist, 2002). A University of Chicago study showed that babies whose mothers talked to them more had a bigger vocabulary. By twenty four months, the infants of less talkative mothers knew three hundred fewer words than babies whose mothers spoke to them frequently (Fleming, Family Life Specialist, 2002). Babies are "listeners" and spoken language reinforces brain connections, which encourage more language development. Another study that scanned brain activity of children revealed that between the ages of four and twelve an enormous amount of brain restructuring takes place (Fleming, Family Life Specialist,

Most animals communicate with one another non-verbally, for example some bee species have very specific and evolved ways of communicating with each other about the location and quality of food (Winston, 1987, p. 25) or the emperor penguin which uses an intricate set of calls that are very vital for individual recognition between parents, offspring, and mates, demonstrating a very wide range of individual calls from all the penguins (Williams 1995, p. 68). As all these forms of communication appear to be very natural to the species they are relevant to, it suggests they are easily developed and learnt through the social context the being is in. Perhaps this means that these forms of communication are innately predisposed to the specific species, which would surely mean language to be innately governed within humans as it’s our way of communication. However one cannot really compare the communications of animals to humans as the humans have a much greater mental capacity than that of any other species. Although other species can communicate, the

The claim, humans are the only animal that can acquire language has been the subject of much debate as scientists have investigated language use by non-human species. Researchers have taught apes, monkeys, parrots and wild children with various systems of human-like communication. Thus, one might ask, what is human language? According to Ulla Hedeager, A universally accepted definition of language or the criteria for its use does not exist. This is one of the reasons for the disagreement among scientists about whether non-human species can use a language. In nature, researchers find numerous types of communication systems, several of which appear to be unique to their possessors, and one of them is the language of the human species. Basically, the purpose of communication is the preservation, growth, and development of the species (Smith and Miller 1968:265). The ability to exchange information is shared by all communication systems, and a number of non-human systems share some features of human language. The fundamental difference between human and non-human communication is that animals are believed to react instinctively, in a stereotyped and predictable way. Generally, human behavior is under the voluntary control,

In The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Human Evolution, three editors Jones, Martin, and Pilbeam (1999:128) agree, “There are no non-human languages” and observed, “language is an adaptation unique to humans, and yet the nature of its uniqueness and its biological basis are notoriously difficult to define.” In his book, The Symbolic Species: The Co-Evolution of Language and the Brain, Terrance Deacon (1997:25) could not agree when he writes, “In this context, then, consider the case of human language. It is one of the most distinctive behavioral adaptations on the planet. Languages evolved in only one species, in only one way, without precedent, except in the most general

Over the course of time the topic of language has been a catalyst for many discussions and debates as to if it is learned throughout one's life, or is it a hard copy instinct the one is born with. Many scientists and writers in the humanities field have their own opinions as to what they believe about language and its plight in human society. One writer challenges many of our educators and scholars today by expressing his thoughts on the instinct to understand, learn, and speak language.