Second language acquisition

Second Language Acquisition

Second Language Acquisition (SLA, /ˈsɛkənd ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ əˈkwɪzɪʃən/), also known as L2 acquisition, refers to the process by which individuals learn a Second language in addition to their First language. The term is associated with the field of Linguistics, specifically in the areas of Psycholinguistics and Sociolinguistics.

Etymology

The term "Second Language Acquisition" originates from the field of Educational psychology, where "acquisition" refers to the process of learning or gaining knowledge. In this context, "second language" refers to any language learned after the First language or mother tongue.

Related Terms

• Bilingualism: The ability to use two languages proficiently.
• Multilingualism: The ability to use more than two languages proficiently.
• Language acquisition: The process by which humans acquire the capacity to perceive, produce and use words to understand and communicate.
• Language education: The teaching and learning of a foreign or second language.
• Interlanguage: An idiosyncratic dialect or an individual learner's perceived language that has been developed while attempting to produce a target language.

See Also

• Language transfer
• Language immersion
• Language attrition
• Language assessment

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