Dynamic system approaches to language acquisition

Dynamic systems theoretical approaches conceive of language acquisition as a complex system of interacting components or variables. In such a system, language emerges in a communicative context as a result of a process of self-organization. This theory demands a focus on the system as a whole, a radically different perspective on causality, and a renewed appreciation for intra-individual variability and nonlinear forms of change. It requires the analysis of individual trajectories. Various studies have been published that offer dynamic systems interpretations of first and second language acquisition and that have provided empirical support for the existence of its main constructs.