Language Acquisition in Children

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the language acquisition of two children, A and G, who are each two years old. The paper places particular emphasis on their strategies for simplifying word-initial s+ consonant clusters. The paper also discusses noted deviations from adult forms, suggesting possible explanations to account for those deviations.

Outline:
Introduction
Evaluation of Data
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Language acquisition is a complex and gradual process for children. The process works on two levels. Part of it is innate, and part is learned. As they advance developmentally, children absorb what they hear in their interactions with others, especially in their home environments. Phonological development is a gradual process during which speech patterns are first reproduced, and then eventually acquired. It is normal for mistakes, or phonological deviations, to be made during this process. Since young children are still developing their sound systems, their speech can at times be difficult to understand. Anyone who has tried to communicate with small children will have experienced this at some point. This is particularly true in very young children, specifically those under the age of five, since they have not yet mastered the ability to organize sound systems in the same way that adults do."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Roca, Iggy and Johnson, Wyn. 1999. A Course in Phonology. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.

More papers on Language Acquisition in Children:

• Research Paper # 108133 : "Second Language Acquisition in School Age Children"
• Research Paper # 26723 : "Second Language Acquisition in Early Childhood"
• Research Paper # 94507 : "Language Acquisition"

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