Contrasting Language Acquisition from Language Learning: A Comparative Study

Abstract

This work examines the distinction between two seemingly similar but distinct phenomena, namely language learning and language acquisition. Language acquisition is an intuitive process that occurs naturally without conscious effort or intention. The individual who acquires a language is often unaware of the grammatical conventions or syntactic structures involved in the process. Throughout the period of language acquisition, the learner requires a source of natural communication. Emphasis is placed on meaning rather than form; hence, it is regarded as communicative. Its fundamental objective is to convey messages and interact with people in the learner’s environment. Language learning, on the other hand, is a conscious or intentional process of formal study undertaken for specific purposes. The study examines factors that influence language acquisition in two different environments, including an explanation of the age factor and its impact on progress in language acquisition. It also considers language input in terms of quantity and quality in both contexts, as well as the limitations of language learning in the classroom. This paper further examines individual differences that influence language acquisition, such as language aptitude, language anxiety, language ego, and motivation. Moreover, the work discusses approaches to language acquisition such as behaviourism, innatism, and the interactionist position. It concludes by explicitly explaining how teaching techniques influence the level of progress students achieve in learning a new language.