SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING: NEW CHALLENGES OF APPLIED LINGUISTICS

Second Language Learning is thought to be a fast developing sphere of applied linguistics. The increase in international contacts in all spheres of communication has provided an abundant practical material to analyze verbal communication and new approaches to teaching English as a foreign language. Contemporary studies in linguistics and psychology have proved that verbal communication should be considered an interaction of people with the intention to produce a motivated persuasive affect on the communication partner. This interaction makes use of both verbal and nonverbal means on the basis of profound knowledge of fundamentals of language and speech communication. The comparative analysis of latest developments in the Russian, French, German languages has discovered a great number of borrowings from the English language. In some cases foreign borrowings substitute words from the national language. Research into structural changes in national languages has demonstrated a necessity of evaluating of borrowing process in the context of preserving national languages as the essential part of the national culture and mentality. The language picture of the world is believed to keep the national tradition of conceptual interpretation of the reality. Preserving language diversity in contemporary world seems to be a vital instrument of providing better understanding between nations and promoting mutually beneficial collaboration in all spheres of life. The process of learning a foreign language is accompanied with acquiring knowledge of culture (history, traditions, social organization, etc.) of its people as well as developing skills of speech communication in this language. The psycholinguistics studies have shown the leading role of motivation in teaching and learning a second language. The teacher as a mediator between two cultural worlds is to teach respect to both national and foreign languages by developing linguistic skills. The new challenges of applied linguistics include the urgent necessity of revising the motives of learning and teaching foreign languages. It is wise to remind teachers of a foreign language of their responsibility of their students' attitude to both their native language and culture and acquired one as a second language. The teacher is to teach students to recognize universalities and fill the gaps in intercultural communication. The research promotes further studies of functional aspects of discourse in the context of crossbreeding of psychology, language and teaching fundamentals.