The older you get the harder it gets.
Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2020 5:29 pm
https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 14&t=11762
There is a linear relationship between age and language learning.
If you want to learn more than a few languages, once you have learned a few, and you have acquired the skill to learn languages (BTW, you learn a lot about language learning skills in this forum). I think that strategically makes sense to learn a language distant to your native language first and let the easiest ones for later.
For example, if your native language is an Asian one, it will make sense to learn English the younger you are, because English will be hard for Chinese speakers. The same for a European adult trying to learn Chinese.
We hosted a Chinese girl in our home for three years, and she improved significantly. She is now studying at a university in New Zealand.
At first, her English was basic and weak; she made significant improvements, though no miracles, I think she was too invested in iChat and her Chinese world and Chinese friends. Despite that, she made tremendous progress in her English skills. She has a linguistic advantage for life.
The point is that that the younger you are to tackle a language, the better.
The older you are, the harder it is. I am not saying it not impossible to learn a language in the last decades of life; I am saying it gets harder over the years.
I believe that the findings are back up by research.
For example, I am in my 50's learning German for the first time. I will not probably achieve the same proficiency in German as if I had started studying German during my 30's or 20's or even better, teen years.
You probably know people who speak a second language like a native. I would bet that they probably learned the language before age 17-yo. Exceptions to the rule is if your first language is closely related to your second language. For example, a Dutch person who learns German as an adult. An Italian adult person who learns Spanish as an adult, or a Spanish person who learns Portuguese as an adult. Because the first language is closely related to the second language, it may be possible to achieve a native-like pronunciation and grammar. But if the language is not a related one, such as Spanish and English, then the younger you learn the language, the better.
if you are a parent of children younger than 17-yo, it will be a good idea to help them learn a foreign language now, and if you have the possibilities, abroad study for one year if possible. That would be gift for life.
Edited Note for the readers of this post:
I posted this blog on Thursday, today Wednesday I do an edit to the original post. My post is a controversial one, and many members have expressed their disagreement, indicating that language learning is not affected by age and that my claims that there is a linear relationship between age and language learning lacks scientific evidence.
There is a linear relationship between age and language learning.
If you want to learn more than a few languages, once you have learned a few, and you have acquired the skill to learn languages (BTW, you learn a lot about language learning skills in this forum). I think that strategically makes sense to learn a language distant to your native language first and let the easiest ones for later.
For example, if your native language is an Asian one, it will make sense to learn English the younger you are, because English will be hard for Chinese speakers. The same for a European adult trying to learn Chinese.
We hosted a Chinese girl in our home for three years, and she improved significantly. She is now studying at a university in New Zealand.
At first, her English was basic and weak; she made significant improvements, though no miracles, I think she was too invested in iChat and her Chinese world and Chinese friends. Despite that, she made tremendous progress in her English skills. She has a linguistic advantage for life.
The point is that that the younger you are to tackle a language, the better.
The older you are, the harder it is. I am not saying it not impossible to learn a language in the last decades of life; I am saying it gets harder over the years.
I believe that the findings are back up by research.
For example, I am in my 50's learning German for the first time. I will not probably achieve the same proficiency in German as if I had started studying German during my 30's or 20's or even better, teen years.
You probably know people who speak a second language like a native. I would bet that they probably learned the language before age 17-yo. Exceptions to the rule is if your first language is closely related to your second language. For example, a Dutch person who learns German as an adult. An Italian adult person who learns Spanish as an adult, or a Spanish person who learns Portuguese as an adult. Because the first language is closely related to the second language, it may be possible to achieve a native-like pronunciation and grammar. But if the language is not a related one, such as Spanish and English, then the younger you learn the language, the better.
if you are a parent of children younger than 17-yo, it will be a good idea to help them learn a foreign language now, and if you have the possibilities, abroad study for one year if possible. That would be gift for life.
Edited Note for the readers of this post:
I posted this blog on Thursday, today Wednesday I do an edit to the original post. My post is a controversial one, and many members have expressed their disagreement, indicating that language learning is not affected by age and that my claims that there is a linear relationship between age and language learning lacks scientific evidence.