word

Language Acquisition

LANG-gwij ak-wih-ZIH-shun

/ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ ˌækwɪˈzɪʃən/

Listen

Hear it in a clear American voice. Slow it down to catch each syllable.

Syllable breakdown

languageacquisition

Dictionary meaning

The process by which humans develop the ability to perceive and comprehend language, as well as to produce and use words and sentences to communicate; refers both to first language acquisition in children and second language acquisition in learners of any age.

Examples

Noam Chomsky's theory of universal grammar revolutionized the scientific study of language acquisition.
Critical period hypothesis suggests that language acquisition is most efficient during early childhood.

Synonyms: language learning, language development

Learn one new pronunciation a day

Get a word, name or idiom like “Language Acquisition” in your inbox — daily or weekly, free. Unsubscribe any time.

Something wrong? Suggest a correction