Justlearn
  • Find classes
  • Log In
  • Sign Up
Create AI
  • Find classes
  • Log In
  • Create AI Language Teacher

Create your AI Language Teacher Free

Web

Online teachers in more than 70 languages

Justlearn is one of the largest tutoring platforms that provide 1-on-1 classes with professional teachers.

Find my first class
Language Acquisition vs Language Learning

Language Acquisition vs Language Learning

justlearnj
Justlearn
2/19/2021
3 minute read

When you're learning you are gaining knowledge based on experiences and studying information. For example, you learn math by solving problems in a textbook or learn history by being presented with facts.

Given the title of the post, you are probably confused by the words, "acquisition" and "learning". Why are there two terms to talk about doing the same thing? These words are often used to describe fluency in a language. What is language acquisition vs language learning? In this post, I will highlight the difference between them.

Mother Tongue

When we are young we start school and can communicate with our peers. How does this happen during those years without formal studying? How we learned our first language is by our parents talking to us as if we already knew what they were saying. Over time, our brains were able to make sense of all this gibberish.

To define this term language acquisition, think about what the previous paragraph says. You picked up your mother tongue subconsciously by people around you speaking it. You didn't acquire the language through a textbook or learn any grammar. You simply listen and repeat over and over again till you naturally figured out what sounded right and wrong.

English Tutors
English Tutors
Spanish Tutors
Spanish Tutors
German Tutors
German Tutors
See More Tutors

Children don't learn the language rather they acquire it verbally. For example, their parents don't point at an orange and say that word. Instead, they'll just show the orange and say something along the lines of, "This is an orange." As children grow up they have daily exposure to their mother tongue and that's how they can speak it.

Learning a Language

Having the ability to speak more than one language is an asset. It's certainly not an easy journey, but it's a low-risk high reward. Learning a language is a structured approach compared to its friend, language acquisition. When you learn a language you are using a system of study whether it be with a language learning platform, vocabulary, or classes at school. You are not only learning words and basic phrases but also word sounds and grammar. Language learning also requires you to develop reading and writing skills that are otherwise not focused on through language acquisition.

Acquisition vs. Learning

What is the main takeaway? Language acquisition is natural without formal study and learning involves structured study. This is why bilingual children sometimes don't do as well in a high school language class. They informally speak the language and are often unaware of the grammatical rules. Whereas people who learn a language in a structured setting are more aware of the grammar rules, phonetics, and intonation.

Which way gets you fluent faster? Language acquisition allows you to retain it quicker because you are surrounded by it daily. On the other hand, in language learning you probably only study for a certain amount of hours a week, take a test, then switch back to your mother tongue. Therefore, it takes longer to retain it. Ultimately, the way to become fluent in another language depends on your learning style and how you want to use the language.

Learn Any Language Faster with your Personal Tutor

Get Started

The 5 Best French Canadian TV Shows to Master Your Language Skills

Are you amazed by French spoken in Canada?

justlearnj
Justlearn
2/23/2022
6 minute read

7 Amusing & Effective Ways to Learn Spanish as an Adult

When it comes to learning a foreign language, many people think that kids are better at language learning than adults. But is this really true?

justlearnj
Justlearn
2/21/2022
6 minute read

14 Guatemalan Slang Words & Phrases For Every Spanish Learner

If you are planning to visit some of the 21 Spanish-speaking countries, we have a proposal for you. Have you thought about visiting Guatemala?

justlearnj
Justlearn
2/9/2022
6 minute read

13 Most Common Spanish Terms of Endearment to Warm Your Heart And Brain

Do you know that people from Spanish-speaking countries are very passionate?

justlearnj
Justlearn
2/3/2022
6 minute read

8 Different Ways to Say Thank You in Portuguese (Both Formal & Informal)

Learning basic Portuguese sayings and greetings shouldn't be that hard.

justlearnj
Justlearn
2/3/2022
6 minute read

4 Motivating TED Talks in Portuguese For Polishing Your Language Skills

Have you ever watched TED talks? If you have, did you find them useful and amusing?

justlearnj
Justlearn
1/18/2022
7 minute read

Create your AI Language Teacher Free

Web
  1. Home
  2. Blog
  3. Language Acquisition vs Language Learning
  • Company

  • About us
  • Press
  • How it works
  • Support

  • Contact Us
  • Help Center
  • Social

  • Facebook Group
  • Community

  • Blog
  • Sitemap

Terms of Use Privacy Policy

Cross
justlearn
Notification
Message:
Message