Second Language Acquisition

Second Language Acquisition Many factors can influence the children’s success in learning the second language. Being brought up in the bilingual family, a person can develop speech skills in both languages simultaneously or in sequence. That is why, both languages can affect each other because of similarities or differences in their structures and semantics. Family and school environments are important to affect the process of learning two languages.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Second Language Acquisition specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, the degree of the second language learning and acquisition can be assessed with references to the number and character of errors made by the learner while using the second language for communicating with the other people. During the process of acquisition of two languages, a child can make developmental errors, transfer errors, and mix languages while communicating orally, and the char acter of these errors can be analyzed in order to make conclusions about the level of the second language acquisition. When a child is brought up in the family where parents use two languages to communicate with each other the child can make definite errors and mix languages while attempting to present his or her thought because these two languages used within the common environments can influence each other. Developmental errors are characteristic for a person when two languages are learnt simultaneously or when a child at the first stage of learning the second language (Paradis, Genesee, Crago, 2011). Developmental errors are the speech mistakes which can be made by any young person because the basics of the language are not learnt fully, and only the first efforts to use the second language correctly are made by a child. Thus, it is possible to state that developmental errors are rather natural in their character because they are not caused by the impact of the other language (P aradis, Genesee, Crago, 2011, p. 265). The examples of such errors are the wrong word order, grammatical mistakes, and the omission of morphemes. For instance, the child omits verbs and some prepositions and changes the word order because of lacking the necessary knowledge about definite grammatical rules. There can be errors in using the endings of words in relation to plurals or possessive cases (â€Å"then I said yes and then not my friends and then they ask me to be their friends again†) (Chloe, personal communication, 2013). From this perspective, a child can formulate the phrase or sentence inappropriately according to their structure because of omitting some important details such as the word order of subjects and predicates. Thus, the child can say ‘sever’ instead of ‘civil’ or ‘paying’ instead of ‘playing’ as a result of confusing words (Chloe, personal communication, 2013). These errors are caused by the similarit ies in the words’ pronunciation, but they are not affected by the particular features of the other language in which the learner can be more competent. That is why, these errors can be discussed as developmental ones.Advertising Looking for research paper on linguistics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More When errors in the learner’s speech are caused by the first language background these errors are discussed and analyzed as transfer errors. The role of transfer errors is important to examine and assess the level of the language acquisition from the point of the first language’s impact on the process of learning the second language (Baker, 2007, p. 212). The child can make transfer errors when he or she is confused in relation to the two languages’ differences and similarities. Thus, it is typical for children to accentuate words according to the accent patterns which are characteristic for the first language’s structure and rules. It is also possible to pronounce words while learning the second language according to the known patterns which are frequently used in the first language. It is important to note that transfer errors are more closely connected with language mixing than with developmental errors because they are caused by the usage of the other language (Baker, 2007, p. 215). Language mixing along with transfer errors is characteristic for learners who speak those two languages which are similar in their nature, used principles, and rules as well as in the pronunciation of many words (Hartsuikerl, Pickering, Veltkamp, 2004). The phenomenon of language mixing is observed when a child uses both languages simultaneously because of spending much time within the environments where people speak two different languages (Heredial Altarriba, 2001). Living in the bilingual family, a child can mix languages in order to adapt to the situation and provide the nec essary word or phrase quickly and without concentrating on the language used (Hartsuikerl, Pickering, Veltkamp, 2004). There are a lot of concepts and notions which are operated in the family in one language in spite of the concrete situation of communication and language which can be used in relation to these definite circumstances (Greene, Pena, Bedore, 2013). Thus, the child can be inclined to mix languages while speaking about his or her family. For instance, grandmother and grandfather can be referred to as ‘Nana’ and ‘Tata’ because these concepts are frequently used in the family in order to speak about relatives as well as father can be called not ‘daddy’, but ‘papito’ (Chloe, personal communication, 2013). The first and second languages are mixed because these words are used while speaking in English. Language mixing is typical for young children because they do not analyze the fact of speaking two different languages, bu t children use the word which is more common for them, for instance, ‘Nana’ and ‘Tata’ instead of grandmother and grandfather.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Second Language Acquisition specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The low percentage of developmental errors and language mixing indicates the good level of the second language acquisition. Thus, the frequent usage of such words as ‘Nana’, ‘Tata’, and ‘papito’ cannot be discussed as the influential factor to speak about the low level of the second language acquisition. However, the problems with structuring sentences and providing grammatical forms of words which can be analyzed as developmental errors are important to make conclusions about the level of learning the second language with references to learning and using its basic principles (Baker, 2007). Therefore, the degree of the second l anguage learning can be assessed by teachers with the help of examining the learner’s developmental and transfer errors and language mixing. Developmental errors are characteristic for the first stages of learning the second language when the key rules are learnt and skills are improved. The concepts of transfer errors and language mixing support the idea about the impact of the first language on the process of learning the second one. From this perspective, the situation of children’s language mixing can be discussed as more typical for bilingual families where both languages are learnt simultaneously. References Baker, C. (2007). A parents’ and teachers’ guide to bilingualism. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters. Greene, K., Pena, E., Bedore, L. (2013). Lexical choice and language selection in bilingual preschoolers. Child Language Teaching and Therapy February, 29(1), 27-39. Hartsuikerl, R., Pickering, M., Veltkamp, E. (2004). Is Syntax Separate or Shared Between Languages? Cross-Linguistic Syntactic Priming in Spanish-English Bilinguals. Psychological Science, 15(6), 409-414.Advertising Looking for research paper on linguistics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Heredial, R., Altarriba, J. (2001). Bilingual Language Mixing: Why Do Bilinguals Code-Switch? Current Directions in Psychological Science, 10(5), 164-168. Paradis, J., Genesee, F., Crago, M. (2011). Dual language development and disorders. Baltimore, M. D.: Brookes.

Learn How To Paraphrase Properly With The Best Online Guide

Learn How To Paraphrase Properly With The Best Online Guide Learning to Paraphrase: A Step-By-Step Guide Paraphrasing is often not taken seriously both by students and teachers, while students think it is the easiest task ever, and teachers, in turn, assume that every student knows well how to do it. There is a good reason for the professors to think so. In our daily speech, each of us paraphrases several times a day, for example, various morning or talk show conversations or phrases, friends, parents, blogs, etc. We all live and communicate. Every day we render something said earlier by one person to another person or party, and we don’t do that word for word. So, paraphrasing is a natural way for all humans to convey information. Thus, if we do it so often, it’s possible to assume everyone knows well how to do it well. However, it’s crucial for students to know how to do it in order to avoid plagiarism. Besides, mastering this skill will allow you citing someone’s ideas without a need of a word for word quotation. When you are able to paraphrase pro perly, you have a chance to make your writing diverse and show how you mastered the material. What Is Paraphrasing? Paraphrasing means to keep the meaning of the original text without copying its exact wording. Massachusetts Institute of Technology defines paraphrasing as taking the words of another source and using your own vocabulary to restate them. A paraphrase is actually swapping the keywords not to parrot the author and render his main idea at the same time. Yes, it may sound really simple, however, there are so many students having troubles with it. The problem is that when paraphrasing, they misinterpret the main idea of the original text. Linguistic scholars define full paraphrase and quasi-paraphrase. According to Bhagat Hovoy, it can cause very subtle but still very essential meaning, implication, and point of view differences. Bhagat Hovoy define paraphrasing as phrases or sentences rendering almost the same meaning through using different words. The Difference Between Paraphrasing and Plagiarism The main difference between paraphrasing and plagiarizing is very simple, correct paraphrasing usually has a source attached or cited. When citing someone else’s source you show that you do not try to produce someone’s work for your own. Ideas are really valuable in academia, so if you try to pass off someone’s idea as your own, it is perceived as stealing. And there is a good reason for that, while some academics spend much time on their studies to come up with those ideas, and stealing them is a serious offense. They might be just phrases or words for you, but those ideas are the result of someone’s hard work. When paraphrasing, you don’t only change the main words but also the sentence structure, and at the same time, you give some new life to the text. According to some experts, if a paraphrase has seven or more words from the original source and it is not acknowledged properly, it is considered to be plagiarism. It is necessary to save the meaning and intent of the original idea as much as possible, but the words and vocabulary, in general, have to be different. It is a sort of following a recipe and at the same time, substituting each ingredient by something else and getting the same dish at the end. And don’t forget to state the original author in the reference. The Difference Between Paraphrasing and Summarizing When summarizing, you can gather all the main ideas of another thinker or author in their core concepts. There is a very small difference between a summarized paragraph and a paraphrased one. A paraphrased paragraph, as a rule, is aimed to give the main idea of what it is referring to. A summarized paragraph is intended to show the main points and ideas of the initial source. Both of them must have citation and references to the original source. It is very possible to make a properly paraphrased summaries and even plagiarized summaries. A summary that is paraphrased properly should restate a written summary via new vocabulary and structure. It also requires correct in-text citation. A plagiarized summary will restate the same original summary’s ideas using many the same keywords. And it is not referred to the original author. How to Paraphrase It requires some skills and practice to paraphrase a point, argument, or idea of another person. The following tips will help you master this skill the soonest. The order of the words and sentence has to be adjusted. Before thinking of new words for your sentence, you should change the whole structure of the sentence. A new sentence should start at a different place than the original one. This way, you will have to make wording changes. For example: The meeting was rescheduled while the deputy had to go to the head office. – The deputy head to go to the head office, so the meeting was rescheduled. So, you just restructure your sentence and can start substituting the words to paraphrase your own sentence. Such restructuring impacts the tone, too, it brings freshness to the original idea. Sometimes paraphrasing allows making the ideas of an academic more understandable and readable, especially if you make the sentence structure easier. When restructuring, you are free to change the length of the sentence. You can make too long sentences shorter, and vice versa, combine few short sentences into a longer one. The writing manner of some academics requires the readers to read the sentence over again in order to understand it, so you can restructure it and make it easier and accessible to your reader. Substitute new words. This step is one of the most crucial to write a proper paraphrase. When using new vocabulary, you show your ability to understand everything that was said by the author and at the same time, choose the synonyms conveying the same meaning. Too complicated and esoteric words can be replaced with easier ones. And vice versa, too generic words can be replaced with those that express the main idea better. If you want to use some set phrases, you can still do it. If you want to refer later to the original turn of the author’s phrase, you can also keep it. If necessary, add the definition of terms. One of the best paraphrasing benefits is the opportunity to improve the original work. If the author didn’t provide any illumination, you can do it. Review the paraphrased sentence and check if you didn’t change the meaning drastically. It is crucial for paraphrasing. Sometimes, it is necessary to simplify the tone of the original expert to show your understanding of the material and ensure that you didn’t just alter the original meaning. Some synonyms may alter the original meaning of the text, so make sure to choose the proper ones. Paraphrase Example Original: â€Å"The world has a great writer in Erich Maria Remarque. He is a craftsman of unquestionably first rank, a man who can bend language to his will. Whether he writes of men or of inanimate nature, his touch is sensitive, firm, and sure.† (The New York Times, 2007). Paraphrased: Erich Maria Remarque is a great writer of the world. He is a first rank mater who is able to make the language obey his will. His touch is always sensitive, confident, and sure, no matter what he writes about. (The New York Times, 2007). How to Cite a Paraphrase MLA Format The MLA format requires to state the name of the author and the number of the page within parenthetical. For example: (Dickens, 25). However, if you mention the name of the author in the paraphrase, you have to use only the page number at the end. For example: According to Dickens, †¦(25). APA Format This format requires you to use the name of the author and the date within a parenthetical. For example: (Dickens, 1843). In case the author is cited within the paraphrase, just state the data at the end. For example: According to Dickens, †¦ (1843). Chicago Format This format requires you to use the footnotes for referring to a citation within the text. It’s necessary to state the full name of the author, the work title, the date of publishing, the year published, and the page numbers. For example: Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, (London, 1843), 25. If you refer to the work for the second or more times, then use the abbreviation of the citation For example: Dickens, Christmas, 25. Paraphrasing Tools Fortunately, modern technologies develop fast and make students’ life even easier. Such tools help not only finds variants for their writing but also check it for various spelling and punctuation mistakes. You can also use various plagiarism checking programs to make sure your work is unique. Conclusion Anyone possesses the ability to paraphrase. It will be very helpful for you to master these skills to improve your writing abilities and make them more diverse. With the help of paraphrasing, you don’t seem to be dependent on the expertise research. The more you practice, the easier it will be for you to paraphrase.