Child Language Acquisition: Mechanisms, Phonetics, and Theories
General Mechanisms of Acquisition
General Acquisition Mechanisms: Children naturally learn language, which is why we speak of natural languages, not programmed ones. Children are highly sensitive to their environment and possess an innate wisdom that allows them to learn without explicit instruction. They adapt to adult language from a young age without being taught how. This learning occurs through interaction between the child and adults.
Two Types of Interaction:
- Child-Initiated: The child’s need prompts interaction, for example, when a child cries. A pre-linguistic situation (gestures, sounds) leads to an adult response. The child emits a sound, and the adult responds, encouraging the child to repeat it.
- Adult-Initiated: The child’s need to imitate adults leads to language modeling.
Often, the child’s need prompts a demand, which the adult corrects. If the child is very young, the adult corrects phonetically first (repeating the sound, adding to it, or reinforcing it). The second correction is semantic, where the adult adds another word, briefly expanding the child’s possibilities. The third correction is syntactic, where the adult corrects errors and extends the structure. The adult’s response adapts to the child’s level of evolution and needs. It’s surprising that adults do this without being taught. This leads to ‘babytalk,’ where the adult speaks slower, uses pauses, emphasizes key words, uses a higher pitch (which is more easily perceived), takes care with pronunciation, and uses more expressive intonation. Prosody, or intonation, is very important for the child, who perceives our tone of voice. Sentences are short, simple, and complete, avoiding half-finished phrases. There are fewer changes, and more redundancy (repeating words), using a limited vocabulary, diminutives, and less abstract language, focusing on objects, gestures, and mime. These are key to the child’s learning process. Interaction, imitation, and production are key in learning between the ages of 2 and 7.
Conclusions: If the environment is available, motivating, rich, and fun, the process will develop more effectively. To enhance imitation, we must develop symbolic play.
Acquisition and Development of Phonetics
Phoneme: The ability to articulate sounds. Phonemes are not accumulated one after another. The child readjusts acquired sounds; it’s not a process of addition but of readjustment. Perception comes first, then production (e.g., Teacher: How are you? Girl: Ttsa. Teacher: Ah! Ttsa. Girl: Nooo! Ttsa). The perceptive system is more advanced than production. The child perceives, listens, and then reproduces. They perceive correctly before they can produce correctly.
The child will deal with three types of production, producing the maximum degree of aperture and minimum oral pronunciation, nasal (one side, then another):
- A phoneme imposes itself on previous learning. For example, first ‘p,’ then ‘f.’ The previous acquisition implies the next.
- The previous acquisition is always reserved in the closed system.
- Each acquisition modifies the entire system.
Sequence: Between 2 and 4 years, learning is highly variable. The rhythm of syllables is variable.
Syllable Types:
- CV: Direct syllable
- VC: Inverse syllable
- CVC: Mixed syllable
- CCV: Consonantal group (r/l)
Pronunciation complications occur around 5 years old. The first group of sounds acquired are: p, b, m, t. CV: direct syllable. Group 1: l, n, ñ, d, j (/x/), k, and g. VC: inverse syllable, and some CVC: mixed syllable. Group 2 starts developing interdental sounds: s, f, x, y /s/, /f/, /θ/. Group 3: controls interdental c + e, i /z + a…u/ VC: inverse syllable, v + s and d is able to control the control syd CCV: c + l + v. Group 4: can control single and multiple vibrants: r, rr /r/, /r/. Also capable of VC: inverse syllable v + l (with l) and CVC: cv + l. Group 5: is capable of correct use of r. CCV: c + r + vowel, and structures like CCVCC groups.
Theories of Phonetic Acquisition
Laura Bosch’s Thesis (approx. 1993) proposes 4 theories about phonetic acquisition:
- Behavioral: This theory emphasizes the process of acquisition, linking it to imitation and differential reinforcement.
- Structural: This theory emphasizes the child’s construction of the phonetic system through contrast.
- Prosodic: This theory highlights the importance of intonation and accent, which signal to the child the values of sounds.
- Natural Phonology: This theory suggests an innate system that instinctively guides the child through the first series of processes to acquire sounds.
These four theories suggest that all sounds are acquired gradually. Fricatives and voiceless stops are more difficult, while nasals are easier. Studies based on syllables show that children learn preferentially by hearing. They simplify what they hear. This simplification occurs in three processes:
Structural Processes Related to Syllables: Children tend to reduce syllables to CV, and also reduce the number of syllables. When CVC exists, they delete the last consonant or omit initial unstressed syllables. For example, ‘inteligencia’ becomes ‘tligncia,’ eliminating the initial unstressed syllable. They also tend to eliminate short words or add a sound, for example, ‘eyes’ becomes ‘j eyes’ (CVCV). They also reduce consonant groups, making them CV, for example, ‘profs’ becomes ‘profs.’ They tend to eliminate reduplications, distinguishing them from stuttering. For example, ‘pantalones’ becomes ‘pope lons.’
Assimilatory Processes (Assimilation): A similar segment is influenced by another in the same word. Sounds are influenced by consolidated sounds. There are several types:
- Progressive Assimilation: The first segment influences the second, for example, ‘a.’
- Regressive Assimilation: The second segment influences the first, for example, ‘jojo’ becomes ‘eyes.’
- Contiguous or Non-Contiguous: In contiguous assimilation, the segments are next to each other, for example, ‘pantalones’ becomes ‘papalons.’ In non-contiguous assimilation, the segments are not immediately next to each other, for example, ‘pantalones’ becomes ‘pa ta po ns.’
Replacement Processes: Sometimes, not only one sound is affected, but a category of sounds. Types:
- Fricatives replaced by stops (occlusivization): For example, ‘thumb’ becomes ‘cupacito.’
- Palatals replaced by velars and alveolars (frontalization): For example, ‘water’ becomes ‘aba.’
- Liquids replaced by semiconsonants (semiconsonantization): For example, ‘arm’ becomes ‘Biaz.’
These processes allow children to produce words before they can articulate them correctly.