Language ‘depth’: Deep first language acquisition versus shallow second/foreign language learning, and the presence of the ‘embammic seal’ in the embammic language-non- embammic language dichotomy

First language acquisition differs radically from second/foreign language learn- ing in that it not only consists in the acquisition of formal aspects of language (structure and functions), which is mandatorily the case with any second/foreign language, but that it is also immersed in what is termed here the (elusive) ‘embammic dimension’. Together, the formal and the automatic embammic elements, constitute the core of any native (first) language command. Subsequently, a native (first) language which always occurs in its ‘deep state’ must be fully distinguished from a second/foreign language which always occurs in various degrees of its ‘shallow state’.