How Children Learn Language (Revisited)

[AGBF]

We have had several threads on Pricescope about how babies learn language, especially threads on how babies learn second languages or become bilingual. I thought that this article from "The New York Times" showed some interesting new research on the topic. The study cited in this article showed that babies learn so much language in the womb that it affects them far more than was previously believed. Apparently from the first day of birth newborns from mothers who spoke different languages responded to the sounds of their mothers' languages more positively than to the sounds of other languages. The language heard in the womb also affects babies' learning of a first language at a younger age than had been previously thought. But I will let the article speak for itself. In other words, a baby is not a tabula rasa facing language learning at birth!

For those of you who have been participating in these threads and those who love languages, I think it will be fascinating.

"Language Lessons Start In The Womb"... https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/21/well/family/language-lessons-start-in-the-womb.html

 

[OoohShiny]

I've not had a chance to read the link yet but I do wish I could speak more languages, and wish that I had more friends that speak languages - if one only speaks their mother tongue to a child, that child will learn it without thinking about it, so having different people speak different languages surely means a child will naturally grow up bi-, tri- or even more-lingual!

 

[AGBF]

These are two past threads which I found fascinating and which touched on both bilingualism amongst adults and raising bilingual children.

Bilingual babies?...https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/bilingual-babies.155182/
Do you speak another language (or wish you did)?... https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/do-you-speak-another-language-or-wish-you-did.234141/

 

[Arkteia]

Here is my older kid's story. He was brought here at 6 + from Russia, and spoke only Russian. A different environment produced a huge stress. For a while, he almost didn't speak at all and then started speaking both languages, English and Russian, separately, but lagged behind in each of them till about 12. (Perhaps it fully evened out by high school and he became fully bilingual). However, Spanish that he was taught at school was far from stellar. In college, he dated someone speaking another European language and learned that language fluently. And then he decided to learn Turkish and let in a tenant from Turkey. And then he also dated someone Turkish.
And then his new roommate was bilingual in Spanish, and he finally mastered Spanish. He speaks a little but of German, enough to get by. He also tried some non-Indo-European languages but it was too difficult. His theory is, that being bilingual, you can easier become trilingual, and then, more.

 

[OoohShiny]

Here is my older kid's story. He was brought here at 6 + from Russia, and spoke only Russian. A different environment produced a huge stress. For a while, he almost didn't speak at all and then started speaking both languages, English and Russian, separately, but lagged behind in each of them till about 12. (Perhaps it fully evened out by high school and he became fully bilingual). However, Spanish that he was taught at school was far from stellar. In college, he dated someone speaking another European language and learned that language fluently. And then he decided to learn Turkish and let in a tenant from Turkey. And then he also dated someone Turkish.
And then his new roommate was bilingual in Spanish, and he finally mastered Spanish. He speaks a little but of German, enough to get by. He also tried some non-Indo-European languages but it was too difficult. His theory is, that being bilingual, you can easier become trilingual, and then, more.

One of my mum's friends said he knew a translator working in the European Commission (or whatever they're called) - apparently she could speak something like 12 languages fluently and 5 more she could get by in because they were similar to others

That would be so awesome - part of the reason I am nervous about travelling abroad is I don't want to get stuck not being able to communicate with people, whereas I'm sure one would be fine with that level of skill! lol

 

[Arkteia]

One of my mum's friends said he knew a translator working in the European Commission (or whatever they're called) - apparently she could speak something like 12 languages fluently and 5 more she could get by in because they were similar to others

That would be so awesome - part of the reason I am nervous about travelling abroad is I don't want to get stuck not being able to communicate with people, whereas I'm sure one would be fine with that level of skill! lol

When we were in Russia during the World Cup, husband travelled to Volgograd to see one match. In the train, he met an old Japanese lady speaking neither English nor Russian. Nevertheless, she traveled to the city to cheer on the Japanese team, and now was returning back to Moscow to see Russian ballet. Quite a spirit, right?

 

[OoohShiny]

When we were in Russia during the World Cup, husband travelled to Volgograd to see one match. In the train, he met an old Japanese lady speaking neither English nor Russian. Nevertheless, she traveled to the city to cheer on the Japanese team, and now was returning back to Moscow to see Russian ballet. Quite a spirit, right?

Braver than I!!

 

[DiamondBaby]

I live in Ireland, English is the language spoken daily by over 90% of the population. Learning Irish at school when I was a child was torture, it was compulsory from age 4-18, it was just forced with no enjoyment really. I have two kids 8 & 5, and they go to a Gaelscoil - Irish school, so from the first day they walk in the door only Irish is spoken, no English is taught in the first 2 years. My son, the oldest, can now read, write and talk fluently in both languages, my daughter can talk incredibly well in Irish now, the reading and writing is coming along nicely. I went to some classes to improve my Irish, and it has improved with them, although my son now has more fluency than me!! When I collect them from school, if the conversation starts in Irish it will continue that way, or for certain things the Irish word is used, not the English. They are learning it in such a natural manner, similar to when you are teaching a baby to talk. I want to add a third language this year for by son, and there are some kids in the school tri-lingual. My daughter started sign language last year, and picked it up so quickly, if I can continue that with her I will!!

 

[alittlelight]

Thanks for sharing this, AGBF!