Last Thursday, we had an interesting discussion about second language acquisition.
Throughout the course of the discussion, a variety of differing opinions emerged.
Topics covered include:
A critical periond language at a young age was certainly beneficial, there were benefits to learning at an older,
more experienced age, and acquiring proficiency at a second language while having passed the 'critical period' was not impossible.
In this vein, it was proposed that young learners usually absorb language at a faster rate but speak the acquired language completely from instinct,
while older learners may concentrate more on observable patterns from experience in other languages.
Motivation. While younger learners may acquire a second language faster than older learners due to greater mental flexibility,
there may also be a motivational factor: taking a young child and placing him or her
in an environment where it is impossible to communicate without learning a new language is a strong motivation for language acquisition.
If this plays a role in the speed/optimality of language learning,
then there may not be such a strong barrier against older language learners as is commonly believed.
Talent at language acquisition. Are certain people just better at learning languages than others?
While the abovementioned factors certainly play a strong role in language acquisition,
most people were of the opinion that language learning ability does not differ so much from person to person inherently.
It was also observed that having already learned a second language usually makes learning a third language easier,
which may explain the existence of multilinguals and polyglots without falling back to the idea of natural language talent.
All in all, it was an interesting and lively discussion. Hope to see everyone again next time!
The Beatles -- I've Just Seen a Face
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbKGsEK_T9g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0rRK1GIF-w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAO0rIGVOtY
Stevie Wonder Sir Duke
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCgKBTvx-Aw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MIjsANK_LQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W09rcmKkTYg
lyrics
I've Just Seen a Face
by Lennon, McCartney
I've just seen a face,
I can't forget the time or place
That we'd just met, she's just the girl for me
And I want all the world to see we've met
Na na na na na na
Had it been another day
I might have looked the other way
But I had never been aware
And as it is I dream of her tonight
Na na na na na na
CHORUS:
Falling, yes I am falling
And she keeps calling me back again
I have never known
The likes of this, I've been alone
And I have missed things and kept out of sight
But other girls were never quite like this
Na na na na na na
CHORUS
I've just seen a face
I can t forget the time or place
And we'd just met, she's just the girl for me
And I want all the world to see we've met
Na na na na na na
CHORUS
Stevie Wonder Sir Duke Lyrics
Music is a world within itself
With a language we all understand
With an equal opportunity
For all to sing, dance and clap their hands
But just because a record has a groove
Don't make it in the groove
But you can tell right away at letter A
When the people start to move
They can feel it all over
They can feel it all over people
They can feel it all over
They can feel it all over people
Music knows it is and always will
Be one of the things that life just won't quit
But here are some of music's pioneers
That time will not allow us to forget
For there's Basie, Miller, Sachimo
And the king of all Sir Duke
And with a voice like Ella's ringing out
There's no way the band can lose
You can feel it all over
You can feel it all over people
You can feel it all over
You can feel it all over people
You can feel it all over
You can feel it all over people
You can feel it all over
You can feel it all over people
You can feel it all over
You can feel it all over people
You can feel it all over
You can feel it all over people
You can feel it all over
You can feel it all over people
You can feel it all over
I can feel it all over-all over now people
Can't you feel it all over
Come on let's feel it all over people
You can feel it all over
Everybody-all over people