Chapter 2 : Principles of Language, H. Douglas Brown.

• First language acquisition cannot be studied without first looking at the theories of language acquisition and the different approaches to these theories.
  
  
  1. The Behavioristic Approach (B. F. Skinner, Charles Osgood, Jenkins and Palermo, David Mc Neil)
     
     
  2. The Nativist Approach
     
     
  3. Functional Approaches

• LINGUISTIC THEORY -- analysis of grammatical rules (Exponent: Chomsky)

  - Competence and performance

  - Comprehension and production

  - Universals

  - Language and thought

  - Imitation

  - Practice

  - Input

  - Discourse (Two reformers:Francoas Gouin and Charles Berlitz) -their conclusions on language learning are significant in understanding the theory of first and second language acquisition.

   

• The way teachers deal with errors in the classroom is closely influence by their linguistic knowledge.

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• Teaching will never suffice for what learning must accomplish.
• Languages are learned, not taught.
• Language acquisition is a psychological process, not a logical one.
• Language is largely a problem-solving device.
• A child will not exceed, in L2, the ability he/she has in L1.
• It is possible to communicate in a less than accurate fashion.
• Linguistic accuracy assures that the largest number of us will have the best opportunity to understand one another.
• Linguistic accuracy is a destination, not a point of departure.
• The conventions of language should not impede the invention of language.
• People who communicate take risks. There is an intimate relationship between language acquisition and the amount of risk taking, vulnerability, and intuition encouraged.