Alcatraz

melancholicbeauty:

alcatraz:

This is extremely encouraging considering the number of language classes I am eventually going to have to undertake!

I don’t think this is accurate. Wishful thinking. People are most likely to be able to grasp the language at a younger age, and are more likely to be able to make the phonological sounds of a foreign language (develop the accent) by learning it young too. 

I agree with what you say about accents, and behind the hyperbolic title, the article actually makes a more modest claim: that adults may be better at detecting patterns in languages than children are, and that this might facilitate their learning of a new language enough to make up for the other advantages children have. Also, I have always thought children’s ability to learn languages has a lot more to do with the greater amount of time they have to dedicate to study rather than with their amazing, sponge-like brains.

I see that you are interested in linguistics: have you read much about language acquisition? I have taken a shot at learning languages here and there (French, Chinese, Latin, and, very briefly, Turkish) but I would say I am only competent in English. I will very soon need to become proficient in French and Latin for professional reasons and I will need to do so very quickly. While I find linguistics interesting, I find the actual learning of a new language desperately boring and rote, which I think explains my distinct lack of facility in any language other than my mother tongue. Any advice? What’s your take on adult language acquisition? Thanks!

(via melancholicbeauty-deactivated20)