Do We Learn Languages Better When Younger

Learning a second language is always tricky. Therefore, it is potentially more productive to learn it at an age at which you are generally more receptive to learning. It is widely accepted that the best age at which to learn language is during infancy, since, during the early years, the brain is specifically programmed to learn a language. However, this is not constrained to any particular tongue; it depends on to what language the infant is exposed.

Thus it follows that an English baby will just as easily learn its native language as a Chinese one. Heavy exposure to any language during a child's first few years should, therefore, ensure comprehension of the language for the rest of their life.

This is largely due to the mechanisms by which people <a href=http://www.linguarama.com/>learn languages</a>. Children begin to pick up language by imitation; in other words, they repeat noises that they hear in their environment, whether from their parents or from others around them. The noises they make will gradually begin to reflect the tones and phonics of the language or languages to which they are most exposed in their everyday life.

As a result, those surrounded by two languages will begin to communicate in both. Worries about raising someone bilingually include the fear that the child will become confused and mix up the two languages, potentially resulting in reduced language skills. However, this is rarely the case. Although such a child may initially seem to be behind their peers in language skills, by the time they are around five years old they will normally have caught up with their peers linguistically, whilst also being equally proficient in two languages.

Full bilingualism really is a priceless skill to possess, especially in today's society, which is becoming increasingly globalised and multinational. Fluency in a second language will be particularly advantageous when applying for the jobs of the future. Another advantage of early second language learning is that it will ease the process of learning an additional language later in life.

Despite all the evidence to suggest that it is best to learn a second language at as early an age as possible, some studies have shown that adults and adolescents, in a number of respects, find it easier to learn a foreign language than younger people. The fact that they have already achieved full comprehension and are literate in a first language arguably means that they can use that which they have already learned about language in order to help them understand a new set of rules, even if merely by contrast.

Of course, when raising a child speaking two languages simultaneously, there is always the risk that one language will begin to replace the other, which will never be developed properly. Some researchers even suggest a danger of 'double semi-lingualism', which describes a case in which the child does not become fully proficient in either language, although occurrences of this are rare.

It seems that there is no definitive time at which it is best to learn a second language, as it depends on the specific situation and context. However, if the opportunity arises, initiating bilingualism as early as possible merits serious consideration.

Article by Linguarama: Linguarama is the right partner for your Language Training and Cross Cultural Training, whether for individual tuition or corporate language courses.