Second-language acquisition
process in which a second or additional language is acquired after the first language has been learned
Second-language acquisition (SLA), second-language learning or L2 (language 2) acquisition, is the process of learning a language other than one's native language (L1). SLA research examines how learners develop their knowledge of second language.
SLA research spans cognitive, social, and linguistic perspectives:
Cognitive approaches investigate memory and attention processes.
Sociocultural theories emphasize the role of social interaction and immersion
Linguistic studies examine the innate and learned aspects of language.
Individual factors like age, motivation, and personality also influence SLA, as seen in discussions on the critical period hypothesis and learning strategies. In addition to acquisition, SLA explores language loss, or second-language attrition, and the impact of formal instruction on learning outcomes.
Definitions
Second language refers to any language learned in addition to a person's first language; although the concept is called second-language acquisition, it can also incorporate the learning of third, fourth, or subsequent languages. Second-language acquisition refers to what learners do; it does not refer to practices in language teaching, although teaching can affect acquisition. The term acquisition was originally used to emphasize the non-conscious nature of the learning process, but in recent years learning and acquisition have become largely synonymous.
SLA can incorporate heritage language learning, but it does not usually incorporate bilingualism.
“Second-language acquisition” enters the record as process in which a second or additional language is acquired after the first language has been learned. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Second-language, acquisition and process can confirm, complicate or overturn.
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