Khaberni - Many people, including those in the field of education, wonder whether it is better for a person to learn a second language in childhood or in adulthood, as some fear that learning a second language in childhood could impact the mother tongue, while others argue that children are more capable of picking up languages than adults.
According to an article published by the American site "Psychology Today," which was reviewed by "Alarabiya.net", the claims that learning in childhood is the only way to master a second language, and that it is too late for adults are just "common and simple claims, but misleading."
Linguistic expert, researcher, and writer Dr. Karen Stollznow answers the question about the ideal time to learn a second language, indicating that "during childhood, the brain is highly adaptable to language input, where young children absorb sounds, rhythms, and grammatical rules effortlessly and often implicitly, without explicit guidance. For this reason, children who are exposed to a second language at an early age are likely to acquire an accent close to that of native speakers, especially pronunciation which seems to be particularly time-sensitive. Once the brain gets used to the sound system of the mother tongue, usually in late childhood, it becomes very difficult to break those patterns, and as a result, adults often carry the phonetic imprints of their mother tongue for life."
Stollznow adds: "Children tend to be bold communicators. They are willing to chatter, guess, and make mistakes without embarrassment. Adults, in contrast, are often more cautious. They realize when their pronunciation sounds wrong."
Stollznow concludes saying: "If the goal is to speak fluently as a native speaker, then early exposure to the language gives learners a clear advantage."
However, Stollznow notes: "Speaking fluently as a native speaker is not the only measure of success, as adults possess substantial cognitive abilities that contribute to the task of language learning. They have advanced reasoning skills, stronger memory strategies, and a developed first language that they can build upon. This means they often make faster progress in areas like vocabulary, reading, and grammar."
The American researcher says that adults tend to understand figurative language, including idioms, metaphors, and cultural references, more easily, because understanding language is not limited to words alone, but also includes social norms, humor, and cultural expectations, and adults are often better at understanding this abstract world.
Stollznow reports that one of the reasons adults are often underestimated is the consideration of accent as an indicator of intelligence or competence, which is not true. An accent is more about timing than ability. A strong accent in the mother tongue simply indicates when a person learned the language, not how well they have mastered it.
Stollznow emphasizes that the most important factor in language learning is not age, but rather "motivation"; if a person has a motivation to learn a language, they become more capable than others in learning and understanding it, whether they are children or adults.
She adds: "People learn languages for many reasons, from work and identity to love or survival, and sometimes all of them. These reasons are important. However, studies show that learners who feel an emotional connection to the language and its culture often outperform those who study it for purely practical reasons, as the desire to belong, and to understand books, films, and music in their original language, or to connect with family heritage, all contribute to sustaining the process of learning another language, which can be long and challenging at times."
Stollznow concludes: "For this reason, highly motivated adults who accept mistakes and uncertainties and continue to speak regardless, can achieve remarkable levels of fluency in the language, even if their original accent does not completely disappear. Researchers also mention linguistic readiness; while some people seem to have a natural talent for languages, this readiness varies and can be enhanced through practice, exposure to the language, and effective learning strategies."
