Language Acquisition by David Singleton

Language Acquisition by David Singleton

There is a widespread belief, both in the scientific world and in society at large, that the way in which and the extent to which one learns a language is dependent on one's age. In discussions of first language acquisition reference is constantly made to the notions of 'speech milestones' -- predictable age-related stages -- and 'critical period' -- a phase of 'language readiness' before and beyond which language acquisition is claimed to be impossible or very difficult. This latter concept is also widely referred to in connection with second language acquisition, albeit sometimes in the more tentative terms of 'optimal period' or 'sensitive period'. This book sets out to examine the evidence for an age factor in language acquisition, the sources of which range from studies of 'wolf-children' to research into the mental capacities of the very old. It goes on to explore the various explanations that have been advanced to account for such evidence and the interplay between the age question and broader theoretical issues. On a more practical note, the last major section of the book looks at the educational ramifications of the age question, with particular regard to formal second language teaching.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780585156118
ISBN 10	0585156115
Title	Language Acquisition
Author	David Singleton
Series	Multilingual Matters
Condition	Unavailable
Publisher	netLibrary, a division of OCLC
Year published	1989-06-01
Number of pages	337
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.