Age of acquisition

Definition

The age of acquisition refers to the age at which a person first learns a language, which can significantly influence their proficiency and fluency in that language later in life. This concept plays a crucial role in understanding how individuals become bilingual, as it can differentiate between those who learn two languages simultaneously from birth and those who learn a second language later on. The timing of language exposure can also impact language retention and loss over time.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Younger learners often achieve higher levels of fluency and accent in a second language compared to older learners, due to the brain's heightened plasticity during early childhood.
2. Simultaneous bilinguals acquire both languages before the age of three, while sequential bilinguals start learning a second language after this age, impacting their overall proficiency.
3. Research indicates that age of acquisition affects not only grammar and vocabulary but also aspects like pronunciation and the ability to switch between languages.
4. Language attrition is more common in sequential bilinguals who acquired their second language later in life, particularly if they do not use it frequently.
5. The interplay between age of acquisition and exposure to a language can shape cognitive processes related to language use, influencing aspects like memory and retrieval.

Review Questions

• How does the age of acquisition influence the linguistic abilities of simultaneous versus sequential bilinguals?
  • The age of acquisition significantly impacts linguistic abilities by determining whether a person is a simultaneous or sequential bilingual. Simultaneous bilinguals, who are exposed to both languages from birth, generally achieve higher fluency and native-like pronunciation compared to sequential bilinguals, who learn a second language later. This is largely due to the brain's developmental readiness for language learning during early childhood, allowing simultaneous learners to integrate both languages more effectively.
• Discuss the relationship between age of acquisition and language attrition in bilingual individuals.
  • The age of acquisition has a direct relationship with language attrition, particularly among sequential bilinguals. Those who acquire their second language at an older age are more likely to experience proficiency loss if they do not actively use that language over time. In contrast, simultaneous bilinguals are less prone to language attrition since both languages are learned in tandem from an early stage, resulting in more robust neural connections for both languages.
• Evaluate the implications of the Critical Period Hypothesis on educational practices for teaching second languages in schools.
  • The Critical Period Hypothesis suggests that there is an optimal timeframe for acquiring a second language with high proficiency. This implies that educational practices should prioritize early exposure to second languages in school curricula, ideally starting in preschool or early elementary years. By aligning teaching strategies with this hypothesis, educators can enhance students' linguistic abilities and cultural understanding, fostering better outcomes for future bilingualism and minimizing potential challenges associated with later language learning.

Related terms

Critical Period Hypothesis:

A theory suggesting there is an optimal window for language acquisition, typically believed to be during early childhood, after which language learning becomes more difficult.

Bilingualism: The ability to speak and understand two languages proficiently, often influenced by the age at which the second language is acquired.

Language Attrition: The gradual loss of proficiency in a language, which can be affected by factors such as age of acquisition and the frequency of language use.