Language Acquisition and Assessment Terms

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Phonology

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Study of the sound system in a language (e.g., phonemes, intonation, stress).

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Morphology

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Structure of words; how morphemes (smallest units of meaning) combine.

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Syntax

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Rules that govern sentence structure.

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Semantics

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Study of meaning in words and sentences.

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Pragmatics

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Use of language in social context (e.g., conversational rules, politeness).

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Language Transfer

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Influence of a student's first language on their English development.

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Code-Switching

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Alternating between two languages or dialects in communication.

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Interlanguage

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Evolving language system developed by learners combining elements of their native language and English.

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BICS

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Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (social language, typically developed in 1–2 years).

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CALP

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Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (academic language, takes 5–7+ years).