GSMLIS101 – LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
First language acquisition: A case study of a three-year old Lebanese child
Name: Rudney Q. Barlomento
Findings and Discussion
3.1 How does the subject of the study acquire / learn his first language?
Al Baraa’s acquisition of his first language is largely innate or biological in nature (Innateness
Theory).
His overt behaviors manifested in various linguistic tasks confirm Lenneberg’s nativist theory,
Chomsky’s innateness hypothesis, and McNeill’s Language Acquisition Device (LAD) (Orillos,
1998).
It was also observed that the subject learned some Arabic words and sentences (though
sometimes faulty) without undergoing any formal instruction.
He also establishes his own linguistic codes and systems. This could reflect the naturalness of
language acquisition and learning. Language acquisition happens as a person grows or matures,
hence, Chomsky’s innateness hypothesis (Orillos, 1998).
He can distinguish speech sounds from other sounds in the environment. Such is manifested
when he responds to his father or mother when his name is called upon and does not when his
sister’s or brother’s were called.
Al Baraa is right-handed, so the dominant brain hemisphere is the left hemisphere – the part
wherein the LAD is housed (Orillos, 1998). Though the researcher was not able to examine the
LAD or the left hemisphere physically, he was able to determine if the parts are present and are
functioning perfectly by observing the linguistic behaviors associated to those parts.
3.1.1 The Role of Imitation, Correction and Reinforcement, Analogy, and
Structured Input
On the case of Al Baraa, he produces words or sentences based on what he hears and based on
what he understands from adults’ conversations he is exposed to.
During the series of observations, it was observed that Al Baraa often imitates his father in
speaking. Interviews with the father corroborate the observation. He often teasingly imitates
questions and answers to such questions.
Though he loves imitating, not all that he imitates are correctly imitated. For example, his
father says “Wen baytok?” (Where is your house?) but he says “Kambaytok?” (How much is
your house?).
3.2 What are the factors affecting the subject’s first language acquisition?
Latency Factors.
His inability to pronounce words with “r” sound is also explained by Krashen’s
(in Orillos, 1998) theory that lateralization is complete at the age of 5 and it is
only after 5 that a child masters the authentic pronunciation.
Cognitive Factors.
Using his age as a parameter in judging his cognitive ability, he is within the
normal range.
Affective Factors.
He is very extrovert, friendly, and energetic, hence, having low affective filter.
This kind of personality somehow has a positive impact on the pace of
language acquisition.
Competence and Performance.
Looking closely on the four linguistic skills, vocabulary, and grammar,
speaking seems to be his highest, followed by listening, vocabulary and
grammar, then reading, and writing.
3.3 How does the subject exhibit progression in his language acquisition?
Language Universals.
In the case of Al Baraa, at his age, he is already able to fairly manifest such
universal linguistic categories as: nouns and noun classes, verb and verb
classes, predication, negation, and question formation.
On the other hand, he still has limited manifestations on word order,
morphological marking, tone, agreement, and reduced reference.
Communicative Competence.
Focusing on Al Baraa’s case, evidently he does not yet have full knowledge of
lexical items and rules of morphology, syntax, semantics, and phonology
(grammatical competence).
On discourse competence, he can fairly comprehend 2-3 connected sentences
in a conversation.
He knows how to adjust his language depending on the person he is speaking
with. He is more spontaneous when he speaks to his father and holds some
reservations when he speaks to the researcher as a stranger. He can also
discern if his father is angry or joking, tired, or interested to listen to him.
Styles and Registers.
Al Baraa at his young age is able to vary his styles in communicating to
different types of people. Of the five styles outlined by Joos (in Orillos, 1998),
he can perform two – the casual and intimate styles.
On the contrary, when he talks to people outside his family circle, he distances
himself a bit. When he talks to the researcher, for example, he cannot whine,
or speak with his tantrums.
Due to his exposure to general conversations between and among his parents
and relatives at home, he acquired and developed the General Arabic register
which is different from formal Arabic used in schools and offices and the
classical Arabic also known as Quranic Arabic which is used in the mosques
and worship programs.
Nonverbal Communication.
In the case of Al Baraa, the researcher noted several types of non-verbal
communication most especially when the subject talks to his father or to the
researcher himself. For example, he does not look at the person he is talking to
if he is disinterested or bored. He keeps on walking while talking if he is not
interested with the topic.
3.4 What difficulties the subject encounters in language learning /
acquisition?
Difficulties in Language Learning.
Since based on observations nature has endowed him with brain capable of
processing and discharging linguistic functions making his LAD quite working
well, such difficulties are largely attributed to environmental forces and
mechanisms.
However, if he is compared to other children his age, he is not considered a
problematic child when it comes to language acquisition and learning.
4. Conclusions
First language acquisition is shaped and influenced mainly by two factors: biological and
environmental factors.
Several considerations also played in the natural acquisition of his language – neurological,
psychomotor, cognitive, and affective.
Though his ability to acquire his first language seemed innate, its development and
enhancement were further shaped by the environment. These environmental forces came in
the form of imitation, correction and reinforcement, analogy, and structured input.
It shows that one’s mastery or proficiency of a language goes with his maturity and extensive
exposure with the language.
The subject of the study also manifested some challenges and language difficulties. These
difficulties were not largely caused by biological factors; instead, these were created by the
environmental factors.
Since it was also noted that environment influences a child’s first language acquisition, it is
imperative that both parents (the child’s first teachers) and school teachers provide a
conducive and supportive environment where the child can easily acquire and fully learn a
language.
The development of communicative competence is the pinnacle of language teaching and
learning; thus, this must always be the overarching goal of every parent and teacher in teaching
language among children.
There may be some difficulties encountered by children in language acquisition / learning but
with the teacher’s thorough understanding on the factors (biological and environmental)
causing such, it would be easier for him/her to develop antidotes that would lead learners fully
acquire and learn the language.
Language acquisition can be complex and challenging but with teacher’s thorough awareness
and proper training, it can be fun and interesting.
