| This is another installment in our series of | | | | aware of the process. In this respect, think of an |
| mini-articles on Language Acquisition. | | | | adult. While making the 3r or 4th mistake in a |
| Although it is commonly believed that children | | | | row, her or she starts to feel guilty, dries up, |
| acquire a Second language quickly and effectively, | | | | starts to think of what s/he is going to say for |
| research shows that the same could be the case | | | | fear of being embarassed, and finally s/he says |
| with adults, given certain conditions. | | | | very little, just "to be on the safe side." |
| The wealth of evidence clearly demonstrates that | | | | In addition, when it comes to pronunciation |
| there is by no means any biologically determined | | | | younger learners certainly start out with a |
| constraint on the language learning capacity that | | | | "foreign accent" just like older learners, but they |
| emerges at a particular age, nor any maturational | | | | are more willing to experiment with unfamiliar |
| process which requires that older language | | | | sounds and sound sequences that simply blend |
| learners function differently than younger language | | | | into the array of sounds that are part of their |
| learners. | | | | native language. Adults, in contrast, have a |
| This of course does not imply that younger and | | | | well-rooted phonological system and find it harder |
| older learners acquire the language in precisely the | | | | to incorporate those new sounds unfound in their |
| same way. Every stage of your life has different | | | | native tongue. It is for this reason that we can |
| advantages and disadvantages, and the same | | | | see that after a certain amount of time, children |
| applies to language acquisition. For example, older | | | | develp a native-like pronunciation whereas the |
| learners can benefit from what already know not | | | | adults who can boast the same achievement are |
| just about language but about life experinces. | | | | really few and far between. |
| They can memorize rules without problems and | | | | In spite of these differences, there is no evidence |
| even analyse and understand subtleties of the | | | | to claim that there are biological differences |
| language. Children, on the other hand, have the | | | | between language acquisition in children and adults. |
| advantage that they are not afraid of making | | | | Actually the opposite is true: there is no particular |
| mistakes or errors while they try to talk. As you | | | | age when the ability to learn a second language |
| may know, language is acquired through a trial-and | | | | declines. What is more, linguistic studies that have |
| error process. This freshness so common in | | | | analyzed the errors of older and younger learners |
| children is difficult to find in adults and plays a | | | | who learn in similar contexts have concluded that |
| decisive role in second language acquistion. It is | | | | they make very similar errors. This clearly |
| through errors (in context) that children start to | | | | suggests that both children and adults use similar |
| build their internal grammar of the language, | | | | cognitive processes to learn a second language. |
| without being consciously aware of this process. | | | | So now you know. If age has been the deterrent |
| While interacting with others, through | | | | factor for you to learn a second language (or |
| trial-and-error they become aware of what is | | | | third or more), that is no longer a valid excuse! |
| right or wrong in the language, but even if they | | | | Language can be acquired at any stage of your |
| make five hundred mistakes in an hour, they feel | | | | life, regardless of your age. So what are you |
| nothing about them. It is just as natural as | | | | waiting for? There is no more time to waste! |
| breathing. They do it all the time without being | | | | |