Vol. 1, No. 1 Asian Culture and History On Linguistic Environment for Foreign Language Acquisition Chengjun Wang School of Foreign Languages Yangtze Normal University 98 Julong Road, Lidu, Fuling, Chongqing 408100, China Tel: 86-23-7279-0023 E-mail:
[email protected] The research is financed by the Project of Advanced English of Yangtze Normal University. No. 2006-B022 (Sponsoring information) Abstract It is clear that children acquire their first language without explicit learning. A foreign or second language is usually learned but to some degree may also be acquired or “picked up” depending on the environmental setting. So, this article mainly discusses the linguistic environmental setting for foreign language acquisition. It suggested that we should make an effective linguistic environment for foreign language acquisition in foreign language classroom. Keywords: Acquisition, Linguistic environment, Linguistic input, Foreign language teaching 1. Introduction Language acquisition refers to the learning and development of a person’s language. The learning of a native or first language is called first Language Acquisition, and of a second or foreign language, Second Language Acquisition (Richards Jack C.John Platt and Heidi Platt, 2000). The term “acquisition” is often preferred to “learning” because the latter term is sometimes linked to a behaviorist theory of learning. Language acquisition is studied by linguists, psychologists and applied linguists to enable them to understand the process used in learning a language, to help identify stages in the developmental process, and to give a better understand of the nature of language. Techniques used include longitudinal studies of language learners as well as experimental approaches, and focus on the study of the development of phonology, grammar, vocabulary, and communicative competence.