Abstract
Language acquisition is a fundamental aspect of human development and serves as the basis for communication, social interaction, and cognitive growth. Among the various theories of language acquisition, Behaviourist Theory emphasizes the role of environmental stimuli, imitation, reinforcement, and habit formation in language development. This study examines the contribution of maternal reinforcement and imitation to early language development from a Behaviourist perspective. The study adopts a qualitative library research design, relying on relevant literature and empirical studies on language acquisition and mother-child interaction. Data were analysed descriptively through thematic analysis. The findings reveal that mothers play a significant role in shaping children's linguistic behaviour through verbal modelling, reinforcement, expansion of utterances, discourse interaction, and repeated language practice. Maternal responses encourage children to imitate appropriate linguistic forms and strengthen correct language use through positive reinforcement. The study concludes that although contemporary theories acknowledge the importance of innate cognitive abilities, maternal interaction remains a crucial environmental factor in facilitating language acquisition during early childhood. The study recommends increased parental awareness of effective language stimulation practices to promote children's communicative competence and linguistic development.
Keywords:
Language Acquisition, Behaviourist Theory, Maternal Interaction, Reinforcement,
Imitation.
DOI: 10.36349/sojolics.2026.v02i02.044
author/Fauziyya Muhammad Hassan, Ph.D.
journal/Sokoto JOLICS 2(2) | August 2026 |
