2007-03-17 09:01:08 · 12 answers · asked by asphaltjunkie_74 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
It's easier when you are younger. Your brain becomes more hard-wired as you age, the transmitters that make language learning and coding possible become harder and harder to route around. Not a very technical explanation, but that's how I understand it!
2007-03-17 09:04:21 · answer #1 · answered by Sweet n Sour 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
While it is true that it is harder to learn languages as you grow older, it is still possible. There are many factors. One, of course, is personal ability. Some people learn languages more easily than others. Another is the amount of time you practice. One reason children learn languages faster is that they are not inhibited -- they don't worry a lot about whether sentence structure is correct or not. For me, total immersion is the best way to go -- travel to a country where you will be forced to use the language all the time. I spent three months in Brazil when I was forty. When I arrived, I knew only a few words of Portuguese. I knew a fair amount of Spanish, but it didn't help with spoken Portuguese as both the words and accent were different. By the time I left three months later, I was able to converse in Portuguese and was once called on to translate for some tourists. I took no classes, but carried my dictionary everywhere. I wasn't fluent -- grammar was varied and vocabulary limited -- but I could order meals, find my way around and carry on casual conversation. If you live in an area where you do not have many opportunities to practice another language, it is hard to learn.
Wonka -- when I was speaking Portuguese, I thought in Portuguese, except when I ran out of words. A few years ago, I had a friend from Mexico who spoke no English -- and my Spanish improved rapidly from spending time with her. I thought in Spanish -- and the search for a word that I did not know is quite similar to the same thing I do in English when I can't find the word I want (happens as you get older!). Depends on your level of comfort with the language, I think.
2007-03-17 09:32:21 · answer #2 · answered by world_gypsy 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am a very smart man, and older...
I can and do learn lots of things every day, but for some reason I cannot seem to learn a new language. I tried recently - went to classes, studied hard, used flash cards the whole thing. Still, within a few weeks, I was woefully behind the rest of the class and eventually dropped out. Its very disappointing!
2007-03-17 09:04:48 · answer #3 · answered by Clarkie 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it actually is harder to learn a new language when you are older and you might have an accent even if you do learn it perfectly. while you are younger (this might be a cliche) but your brain is like a sponge and your tongue is still forming to the language you are learning. my parents cant speak that good English but i speak, i should say, pretty good. i am learning spanish right now and its pretty easy but i guess there is a point in life where it is harder to learn more languages.
2007-03-17 09:13:10 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some research has been carried out on this which shows undoubtedly what is obvious to us all - it gets much harder as one gets older. However, I think that it would be good to encourage older people in this, to keep their grey matter ticking over. "Use it or lose it" is the motto -- and learning a language is the kind of challenge they need. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3739690.stm
2007-03-17 09:36:24 · answer #5 · answered by Doethineb 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People don't learn languages. They learn to think with other words. When you're older I bet it's difficult to think at all. Kidding.
The stooges put it best "I'm trying to think but nothing happens!"
Older people translate rather than think it.
2007-03-17 09:26:43 · answer #6 · answered by Wonka 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
nicely, do no longer concentration on grammar in any respect. attempt to think of in that language, start to dream in that language. I discovered german by employing looking at television. So attempt to observe some video clips on Serbo-Croatian, Serbian and Bosnian (The languages are so comparable). attempt to pay attention some song on those languages. I wish you stable luck :)
2016-10-01 02:14:33 · answer #7 · answered by gazdecki 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes,the first 12 years of life the human brain is like a sponge,like
an old computer thas has lot's of data it slowes down with age
2007-03-17 09:06:39 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
its just that most nerves are already linked so you can't learn as fast. whereas younger children can absorbe more information
2007-03-17 09:04:54 · answer #9 · answered by wintermag52 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not necessarily. It depends on will-power and interest, at any age.
2007-03-17 10:12:29 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋