First Language Acquisition

Course goals

Students acquire knowledge of the most import ideas and problems in research on first language acquisition. This course aims to increase their insight in the learnability problem in relation to new linguistic phenomena. They are familiarised with research methods by applying these to a particular empirical domain of research. And they are trained to report on this in an academically appropriate way.

Content

In this course we will focus on the question which cognitive, biological and environmental factors are responsible for the growth of native language competence and the ability to use this knowledge in a natural and creative way in our daily lives.

In this course we will study several of these factors, starting from the linguistic perspective that allows us to uncover the variable and invariant properties of sound, word and sentence structure and well as that of meaning. We can then develop further insight in the distinction between domain-specific mechanisms in language acquisition and general cognitive capacities in development. Typical of this approach is the language comparative perspective. What is the developmental process in different languages, and what does this tell us about the interaction of cognitive systems of knowledge and use that are involved. Special attention will be paid to the development of bilingualism. The course will highlight some phenomena that are characteristic of the spectacular development that children go through in the various linguistic domains. From the first discriminative capacities detecting sound patters, via word and sentence construction to dependency and meaning relations in sentences and in discourse.

Additional information

PLEASE NOTE: the courses (TL2V14103 Tlc-Eerste-taalontwikkeling and TW2V13004 Tlw-Taalontwikkeling) can't both be part of your exam programme due to content overlap.

This course is part of the minor Taalontwikkeling. 

Lingua Receptiva (Luistertaal)
This course can be followed in Lingua Receptiva. The lectures are offered in English. The course is also open to students who only have a receptive understanding Dutch (as lingua receptiva). If required, these students can participate in Dutch and take the exam and write assignments in that language. If you want to make use of lingua receptiva, please contact the teacher after enrolment. Please note: if you make use of lingua receptiva, this course will be registered as one of the elective modules of your programme. In this case, the course cannot count as a language-specific course within the major or minor part of your programme.