NAME: Athi-na Sisipho
SURNAME: Mazwane
STUDENT NUMBER: 4431184
TUTORIAL GROUP: GROUP 24
TITLE: Language Learning Major Assignment
BASED ON LECTURE 1
My name is Athi-na Sisipho which means ( given a gift). I was born in Port Elizabeth Dora
Nginza Hospital then stayed between there and Mt Frere until I turned 6 when I stopped going
back to Mt Frere after the death of my grandmother. I grew up speaking 5 languages, which was
Bhaca language, IsiXhosa, English, IsiZulu and Tswana. 2/2
I acquired IsiBhaca, IsiXhosa and IsiZulu as I communicated with many people using those
language, I learnt English at school as it was a first additional language for me during
kindergarten then I learnt Tswana from peers and friends that I met whilst growing up and I also
learnt the language from my stepfather as he was a Tswana man and so he taught me the
language to make it easy for me to speak to his family as some couldn’t speak IsiXhosa properly.
8/12
When I was a child, I probably used to pronounce the word “ snow” as “no” and the word
“spaghetti” as “getti”. The first one is an example of the phonological process of reduction
strategy called consonant cluster reduction, where the initial consonant cluster is simplified. The
second example, where “spaghetti” becomes “getti”, also illustrates the same reduction strategy,
specifically simplifying the initial consonant cluster to make the word easier to articulate. 6/6
BASED ON LECTURE 3
During the telegraphic stage of language development, I may have said some utterances such as
“Want food now”. This exact phrase tells my desire for food or how hungry I was at that
moment. The adult way of saying that utterance would be, “I want food right now”.
Difference Between the Two Utterances:
Grammatical Structure: the three-word utterance omits articles and auxiliary verbs,
demonstrating a simplified grammatical structure typical of the telegraphic stage. In
contrast, the adult version includes complete grammatical elements, providing clarity
and formality.
Clarity of Intent: the adult utterance conveys the same desire but does so with more
precision by using the word “I” to indicate the subject of the sentence. This highlights
clarity, making it more clear to who wants food, whereas the telegraphic utterance relies
on context and is less explicit. 6/6
BASED ON LECTURE 2
According to the Critical Period Hypothesis (CPH), there is a specific timeframe in early
development during which the acquisition of language occurs most easily and effectively. This
period typically spans from birth till puberty( Lenneberg, 1967). In my own experience, I was
exposed to language from an early age, well within this critical period, as my caregivers
engaged with me through verbal communication, storytelling, and interactive play.
If I had not been exposed to language during this critical window, the consequences for my
language acquisition could have been significant. Research suggests that individuals who miss
this crucial period often struggle with language development and may never achieve full
proficiency in any language (Curtiss,1977). Without early exposure, my ability to understand
and produce complex language structures could have been severely limited, affecting not only
my communication skills but also my cognitive development and social interactions. Ultimately,
the absence of language during this formative stage would likely have led to lasting deficits in jy
linguistics capabilities. ¾
25/30
REFERENCES
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (n.d.). American Speech-Language-Hearing
Association | ASHA. https://www.asha.org/
Curtiss, S. (1977). Feral children and the acquisition of language. In S. H. H. E. H. McLaughlin
(Ed.), Language and learning: The home and the school (pp. 132-147). Routledge.
Hanna, C. H. F. (2023). Phonic Faces as a Method for Improving Decoding for Children with
Persistent Decoding Deficits. https://doi.org/10.31390/gradschool_theses.5725
Boomer, D. S., & Laver, J. D. M. (1968). SLIPS OF THE TONGUE. International Journal of
Language & Communication Disorders, 3(1), 2–12.
https://doi.org/10.3109/13682826809011435
