Child second language acquisition without communication

Abstract

This thesis investigates child second language acquisition without communication. This is a case study of a Norwegian four-year-old girl who has acquired English only by watching television. It is interesting to investigate language acquisition through television as language is argued to be a social phenomenon. It is predicted that the child, Lucy, will have no problems acquiring English structures that are similar in Norwegian and English. However, it is expected that she will struggle with structures that are not similar in Norwegian and English, such as do-support.

This study indicate that there is a partial acquisition through television and that more input is required for do-support to be acquired.