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[Rikker]

Dakhar, on 2006-04-24 06:00:32, said:

Actually, the critical period, sometimes called the "golden age," is around 5 years old.
http://en.wikipedia....Critical_period

Even the age of 5 is up for debate, some say it is even lower than 5 years old, as low as even 2 years old.

Moving on, if a person has had exposure to a base language, there really is not a "critical period" in regards to learning a second language. Theoretically, a person could learn as many language as they want until they die of old age. They could learn those languages in groups of 2-4-5-6, or individually it does not matter. It is more of a matter of devotion more than anything.

Thanks for the heads up. I only have vague notions of the critical period from a class taken five years ago. Research has gotten better and my memory has gotten worse.

And yes, there is no limit for *learning* a second or fiftieth language, but one no longer *acquires* it as a child would. As long as one is dedicated and studious, it's absolutely possible. But past the initial critical period, it's no longer effortless and natural. Is that fair to say?

[Dakhar]

Rikker, on 2006-04-25 02:56:18, said:

Dakhar, on 2006-04-24 06:00:32, said:

Actually, the critical period, sometimes called the "golden age," is around 5 years old.
http://en.wikipedia....Critical_period

Even the age of 5 is up for debate, some say it is even lower than 5 years old, as low as even 2 years old.

Moving on, if a person has had exposure to a base language, there really is not a "critical period" in regards to learning a second language. Theoretically, a person could learn as many language as they want until they die of old age. They could learn those languages in groups of 2-4-5-6, or individually it does not matter. It is more of a matter of devotion more than anything.

Thanks for the heads up. I only have vague notions of the critical period from a class taken five years ago. Research has gotten better and my memory has gotten worse.

And yes, there is no limit for *learning* a second or fiftieth language, but one no longer *acquires* it as a child would. As long as one is dedicated and studious, it's absolutely possible. But past the initial critical period, it's no longer effortless and natural. Is that fair to say?

Yes, and no it would not be fair to say that language aquisition is no longer effortless and natural after the critical period. Take for example, accent's. Accents (in most cases) are reduced, or aquired naturally and effotlessly regardless of an individuals age.

Seriously, if lang. aquisition fascinates you, as it does me... there are a lot of new feral child cases out there that you may like to read about. Just Google it out, and you will find them. One of the reasons there have been more found, is because the net has opened the world up. But that is another topic.


Cheers,

Dakhar

[phibunmike]

Quote

I figured Mandarin was a good language to learn from a business perspective. I don't know if I'll need it in my work, but I figured it could never hurt with the booming economy in China

As an interesting aside to that thought:

I recently read "The River's Tale - A year on the Mekong" by Edward Gargan (an excellent book).

Gargan is an American who had lived in Hong Kong and could speak a couple of Chinese dialects (can't remember which ones or how fluently, but I think he was pretty good).

He took a year off and travelled through Tibet, China, Laos, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Much of his journey was seriously off the beaten path, and he did not speak Tibetan, Laos, Thai, Khmer, etc. - but everywhere he went he found Chinese people, whether restaurant owners, traders, or whatever, and so could ALWAYS find someone he could speak to and understand. Reading that book re-enforced just how useful Mandarin could be, and not just for dealing with China....