The process by which individuals acquire the ability to understand and use a specific language, including its vocabulary, grammar, and syntax. It involves the development of linguistic skills through exposure, imitation, and cognitive processes.
Related terms
Language Acquisition Device (LAD): An innate mental structure proposed by Chomsky that enables children to learn language effortlessly.
Critical Period Hypothesis: The idea that there is a specific period in early childhood when language acquisition is most efficient.
Universal Grammar: A theory that suggests all human languages share underlying commonalities in their grammatical structures.