Fossilization (linguistics)

Fossilization is like finding a really old toy that has been buried in the ground for a long time. Just like how a toy can get stuck in the dirt and become hard and stiff, sometimes when people learn a new language, they can get stuck in certain ways of speaking or writing that are not correct. These incorrect ways of using the language can become "fossilized" or stuck, just like a toy can become hard and stuck in the dirt. It can be hard to fix these mistakes once they are fossilized, but with practice and help, it is possible to correct them!