FACTORS INFLUENCING THE ACQUISITION OF SECOND LANGUAGE PHONOLOGICAL COMPETENCE: CHILDREN VERSUS ADULTS

This paper examines factors affecting the acqui sition of second
language (L2) phonology in light of child-ad ult differences. Studies
have shown that children achieve better L2 pronunciation than adults
in naturalistic environments. Several arguments have been proposed
concerning children's superiority over adults in L2 phonological
acquisition. They are: (I) the neurological argument; (2) the habit
formation argument; el) the socio-affect ive argument; and (4) the
input argument. This paper reviews each argument critically. At
present there seems to be less evidence for the neurological argument
and more evidence for the habit formation argument, the socioaffective
argument, and the input argument. The interaction of the last
three factors seems to provide a fairly adequate account of why
child ren are superior to adults and why some adults are better than
others in L2 phonological acquisition.