Language Acquisition in Children through the Writings of Abderrahmane Hadj-Salah

Abstract

This article explores the process of language acquisition in Arabic-speaking children through the lens of Abderrahmane Hadj-Salah’s writings, particularly those rooted in Neo-Khalilian theory. It focuses on his vision of the acquisition process, anchored in key Arabic linguistic concepts. The study reveals that the theory’s proposed linguistic levels (MARᾹTIB) provide a foundation for understanding how typically developing children acquire language. Its value lies in detailing how speech elements are formulated through the concept of the Pattern (MIṮĀL) at each level, and the abstraction activities involved, in line with Piagetian thought. Early in development, children internalize linguistic structures from auditory input (masmūʽ) and generate Pattern (MIṮĀL-s) to express various linguistic levels. This generative capacity varies by child, depending on individual abstraction abilities. According to Hadj-Salah, language acquisition reflects maturation in the use of generative Patterns (MUṮŪL), progressing from Aṣl to its increments. The Pattern MIṮĀL thus serves as a conceptual bridge between Arabic linguistic theory and cognitive science.