Language Proficiency Comparison L1 vs L2

Language Acquisition and Communicative Competence

• Receptive and expressive macro skills build a person's knowledge background.
• Viewing, or interpreting visual images, is a crucial skill in modern language education.
• Integrating viewing skills into language arts programs improves comprehension of both print and nonprint materials.
• Developing macro skills enhances communicative competence, which involves using vocabulary, grammar, and literature appropriately.
• Communicative competence involves a synthesis of knowledge and skill needed for communication.
• There are three types of knowledge: knowledge of underlying grammatical principles, knowledge of language use in social context, and knowledge of combining utterances and communicative functions.

First Language (L1) and Second Language (L2) Acquisition

• L1 is attained with 100% proficiency naturally, while L2 proficiency can be achieved but not as efficiently or fully as L1.
• L1 does not require formal instruction, whereas L2 requires continuous guidance and instruction.
• L1 begins with telegraphic speech around 18-24 months, while L2 starts with full sentences, typically learned after proficiency in L1.
• L1 is an integral part of everyday life, while L2 is a new aspect of life if chosen by the individual.
• L1 is acquired subconsciously without conscious effort, while L2 requires constant conscious effort to internalize language structures.

Factors that Highlight the Differences between L1 and L2

• Age: Children around 6 years old are most adept at learning a second language, while adults may find it more challenging.
• Personality: A child's personality does not significantly affect the acquisition of the first language, but it can impact the learning process of a second language.
• Culture: The first language is closely tied to a person's culture and identity.

Native Language and Foreign Language

• Native language is the language spoken by a person since childhood within their community or region.
• Native language is intimately tied to cultural heritage and social identity, influencing communication patterns.
• Foreign language is learned by individuals for communication with speakers of that language or for academic/professional purposes.

Common Language and Multilingualism

• A common language, or lingua franca, serves as a medium of communication between speakers of different native languages.
• Multilingualism refers to the ability of individuals or communities to speak or understand more than one language fluently.
• Multilingual individuals acquire proficiency in multiple languages through formal education, exposure to diverse linguistic environments, migration, or family background.

Visual, Tactile, and Chemical Communication

• Visual communication involves visible signals such as gestures, facial expressions, and coloration.
• Tactile communication involves touching and physical contact, used for social bonding, grooming, and dominance displays.
• Chemical communication involves the release of pheromones, chemical substances that affect behavior or physiology.
• Types of pheromones include primer pheromones, alarm pheromones, and food trail pheromones.