L1 and L2

Language is the most significant aspect which makes us different from all other species.
Accordingly, language acquisition is the most impressive aspect of human development both
in psychological and cognitive perspective. However, all the normal human beings acquire
the language they first encounter as children. Then they might learn multiple languages but
those languages will always be different from the first language they acquired by being
exposed to. So, it is evident that there are a lot of differences between the first language and
the second language of a person.
A first language (L1), native language, native tongue, or mother tongue is the first language
a person has been exposed to from birth or within the critical period. In some countries, the
term native language or mother tongue refers to the language of one's ethnic group rather than
the individual's actual first language. Generally, to state a language as a mother tongue, one
must have full native fluency in that language. The first language of a child is part of that
child's personal, social and cultural identity. Another impact of the first language is that it
brings about the reflection and learning of successful social patterns of acting and speaking.
Research suggests that while a non-native speaker may develop fluency in a targeted
language after about two years of immersion, it can take between five and seven years for
that child to be on the same working level as their native speaking counterparts.
On 17 November 1999, UNESCO designated 21 February as International Mother Language
Day.
The person qualifies as a "native speaker" of a language by being born and immersed in the
language during youth, in a family in which the adults shared a similar language experience
to the child. Native speakers are considered to be an authority on their given language
because of their natural acquisition process regarding the language, as opposed to having
learned the language later in life. That is achieved by personal interaction with the language
and speakers of the language. Native speakers will not necessarily be knowledgeable about
every grammatical rule of the language, but they will have good "intuition" of the rules
through their experience with the language.
The designation "native language", in its general usage, is thought to be imprecise and subject
to various interpretations that are biased linguistically, especially with respect to bilingual
children from ethnic minority groups. Many scholars have given definitions of "native
language" based on common usage, the emotional relation of the speaker towards the
language, and even its dominance in relation to the environment. However, all three criteria
lack precision. For many children whose home language differs from the language of the
environment (the "official" language), it is debatable which language is their "native
language".
A second language is any language that a person uses other than a first or native language.
Contemporary linguists and educators commonly use the term L1 to refer to a first or native
language, and the term L2 to refer to a second language or a foreign language that's being
studied. Second Language Acquisition is the process through which people learn a second
language. SLA is not just the act of learning but also a field of scientific study that examines
and reflects on this process.
SLA involves various stages and factors that influence how a person learns a new language
after their first language is established.
Learning Concepts about Second Language Acquisition
Interlanguage
Interlanguage is a concept in SLA that demonstrates the unique and systematic language
system learners use. Second language learners are influenced by their native language while
learning English simultaneously.
Input Hypothesis
Developed by linguist Stephen Krashen, this theory states that comprehensible input is
essential for language acquisition. It distinguishes between subconscious acquisition and
conscious learning of language.
Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis
This refers to the difference between acquiring a language naturally and subconsciously
learning it through conscious study and instruction.
Difference between L1 and L2:
 A first language is the mother tongue or native language of a person while a second
language is a language a person learns in order to communicate with the native
speaker of that language.
 The first language is like an instinct which is triggered by birth and developed with
the experience of being exposed to it. A second language is a personal choice of a
person.
 There is no other alternative to a first language. A person cannot decide his/her first
language. It comes to him/her as an inheritance/legacy/birthright. On the other hand, a
second language is always fixed by the person. There are many alternatives to a
second language. A person/community can choose a second language among other
languages.
 The acquiring process of the first language is very rapid while the learning process of
the second language can vary from language to language and from person to person,
but can never be as rapid as the first language acquisition.
 The first language is ‘acquired’ and the second language is ‘learned’. The difference
between these two words describes the qualities of the two languages. ‘Acquire’
means “to come into possession or ownership of” which indicates that the first
language is like a dynamic and abstract property which comes into possession of a
person. On the other hand, ‘learn’ means “to gain knowledge or skill by study,
instruction, or experience” which indicates that there is nothing passive in second
language learning.
 A first language is completely acquired with 100% proficiency within 6 years from
the birth. However, a second language can never be learned as efficiently as a first
language; though good competence can be achieved in the second language, the
process is slow.
 The first language acquisition is always natural and there is no need for instruction in
acquiring it. But a second language learning is not natural and it needs continuous
guidance and instruction.
 The first language acquisition begins with telegraphic speech. The term 'telegraphic
speech' deriving from the word ‘telegram’ was coined by Roger Brown, an American
psycholinguist, in 1963. It refers to the two-word a child can utter when s/he is 18 to
24 months of age. Examples of telegraphic speech: Mom see, Dad go, No ball, Daddy
walk, Mommy milk, etc. On the other hand, the second language acquisition begins
with a full sentence. A child cannot start learning the second language without being
fully efficient in the first language.
 The first language is a natural part of a person’s everyday life. But the second
language is a new aspect of the person’s life if s/he chooses it to be.
 The first language does not require any conscious effort; the acquisition process of the
first language is subconscious. The second language requires constant conscious effort
so that the learners can internalize the structures of the second language.
Some factors of difference for the first language and the second language.
Age:
It is the most important factor that makes a second language totally different from the first
language. Children of the age of 6 who have already acquired full proficiency in their first
language are most capable of learning a second language. Adults usually find it difficult
to learn a new language when they become too accustomed to their first/native language.
Personality:
A child’s personality does not usually make that much of difference in the acquisition of
the first language. But it makes a huge difference in the learning process of the second
language. In the second language learning process, the learners with an introvert
personality usually make slow progress than the learners with an extrovert personality.
Culture:
The first language is one of the most important factors of a person’s culture. But a second
language is not that important in anyone’s culture. However, the second language has
some effects on the culture of a person but not significant enough to be counted as an
element of that culture.
Motivation:
It is an important factor for the second language learning. A learner with good motivation
to learn a second language is likely to learn that language faster. But the acquisition of the
first language does not require any motivation because it is a natural phenomenon. The
first language is acquired subconsciously and there is no need for motivation to acquire it.
Mother Tongue:
The first language is the mother tongue of a person. The second language learning
depends a lot on the structures of the first language. If the structure of the first language is
similar to the second language, it will be easy and fast for the learners to internalize it.
For instance, an English native speaker will find Dutch easier to learn than Hindi as a
second language.
A first language and a second language both have their effects on each other. However, as
we have learned that the first language is natural and has a solid base in a person’s
intellectual and psychological development, the first language is not affected by the
second language as much as the second language is affected by the first language. Finally,
we can say that the relationship and the differences between a first and a second language
are complex but constant.