Is the capacity to acquire language also available for acquiring an Term Paper

Is the capacity to acquire language also available for acquiring an additional language - Term Paper Example It is more effective in children due to the concept of tabula rasa that portrays the brain as an empty slate of content which can be educated accordingly. Linguistic ability develops uniquely in every child depending on the real circumstances of the situation. It is implied by a number of argumentative theories that putting in place certain considerations such as innateness of a person to language and the extent to which it upholds. Second language acquisition theories Second language acquisition involves a number of ideas both from the theories of nativism by Noam Chomsky to conflicting notions against it. These theories, woven into one aspect of secondary language acquisition, explain need for education in acquiring a second language. It emphasizes that language cannot be achieved without further tutelage. The nativists argue that acquisition of a language is determined by inherent factors of human ability to learn language. These skills are ‘programed’ and well-struct ured in the minds of human beings before they are born. It implies that we can learn language entirely by ourselves after birth and express ourselves. However, linguistic knowledge requires communion for expression to be meaningful and for communication to be achieved. Need for such supportive factors as other people to converse with in a language beckons ideas of second language acquisition. It requires further that individuals be informed more and educated on language. These factors revolve around a built in ability that human beings gain before birth and that pre-disposes us to language acquisition. Noam Chomsky proposed that this language is achieved by a genetic provision. Every human being therefore is born with an LAD language acquisition device that provides them with knowledge of a language. It is therefore possible for children, according to Noam’s theory, to acquire their native language with ease and without any training. He argues further that second language can be adapted with no difficulty through the same LAD mechanism.The LAD disregards the language to be deciphered and provides comprehension despite the tongue being adapted whether it is English, Chinese or any other known dialect. LAD aids their comprehension and pragmatic interpretation of words they have not heard before. The human capacity to acquire linguistic knowledge as per Noam Chomsky is fervently countered by other theories of acquisition. Such theories emphasize that while an infant’s mind may possess leaning abilities; such ability is developed from the period before its birth by development of its auditoria system. This development allows the child to learn language while they are still unborn. Its brain is therefore as an empty slate in the process of formation that learns and unlearns matters. The brain is dependent on training in order to learn any language and does not depend on a natural device to gain linguistic wisdom. Such arguments persist that Noamâ€⠄¢s nativism is not necessarily wrong but it is obscured by vagueness and assumptions. Thus, the human mind indeed has learning potential but no actual content in it. Any linguistic content or skill obtained is learned in the womb as soon as hearing features begin to develop. The infant is trained by its mother’s own voice and that of the people around him in the period of gestation. Moreover, ability acquired in the womb is barely language itself but hearing skills