Re: Do children learn language more easily?


Jim Heckman (reply-to) wrote:
On 2-Dec-2006, Nathan Sanders <nsanders@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote in message <nsanders-C7EE12.11572302122006@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

[...]

Note my use of "first", not "native". The ability to learn a native
language continues for a few more years (it is certainly gone by about
age 10). The ability to start your *first* language does not last
past about age 5.

Is it possible that the loss of the ability to learn a native
language is tied to puberty, when so many other changes are
occurring in the body? I've known people who learned native-level
American English having come to the US as late as age 14, but none
who arrived in their late teens that didn't have at least a couple
of non-native tics.

Has there been any research on this specific question?

That's precisely Eric Lenneberg's "critical period hypothesis," and
it's the focus of L1 acquisition research.

.

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