AGE AND SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION: CRITICAL PERIOD HYPOTHESIS

Abstract

Besides other factors, age plays an important role in second language acquisition (SLA). It is one of the most controversial topics in the field of second language acquisition. Many SLA researchers believe that there is a correlation between age and learning a second language, meaning that age affects learning a second language. This paper aims at exploring the relationship between age and second language acquisition. Particularly, it will discuss effects of age on learning three main domains of a second language: phonology, morphosyntax, and information structure. The review of the studies shows that there is a strong correlation between age and second language acquisition.

Keywords

• Age
• second language
• impact
• critical period hyphothesis
• language learning

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