What is the most controversial issue concerning bilingualism and age of acquisition?
a. Can adult bilinguals acquire pragmatic competence in their second language?
b. Are adults and children equally talented in acquiring new vocabulary words in a second language?
c. With respect to the mastery of phonology, do people who acquired a second language as adults differ from people who acquired a second language as children?
d. With respect to the mastery of grammar, do people who acquired a second language as adults differ from people who acquired a second language as children?
Question 2What can we conclude about the relationship between a person's age of acquisition of a second language and his or her mastery of grammar?
a. So far, no research has demonstrated a relationship between these two variables.
b. Linguistically skilled individuals tend to master grammar better if they learn a second language during childhood; individuals with below-average skills tend to master grammar better if they learn a second language during adulthood.
c. The results clearly support the critical period hypothesis, because people have greater mastery of grammar if they learn a second language during childhood.
d. The results are complicated, because the answer depends on the match between the two languages, as well as the amount of education in the second language.
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