النص
Is It Too Late to Learn a Language?
“I'm too old to learn a language.” Teachers of adults hear this sentence all the time, often from people who are, in fact, learning perfectly well. The belief that only children can truly master a new language is widespread. But what does the research actually say?
It is true that age makes a difference in some areas. People who start very young, and who hear the language around them every day, are much more likely to end up with an accent that sounds native. Many researchers believe there is a period in childhood when the brain is especially sensitive to the sounds of language, although they still disagree about how long it lasts and how strict it is.
However, accent is only one part of speaking a language well, and in other respects adults have real advantages. They already understand how language works, they can use grammar explanations, and they are usually better at learning strategies such as organising vocabulary or noticing patterns. Several studies comparing learners of different ages have found that, in the early stages, older children and adults often make faster progress than young children.
Children's famous advantage also has a lot to do with circumstances. A child who moves to a new country typically spends hours every day playing, listening and making mistakes without worrying much about them. Most adults, by contrast, study for a few hours a week around a job and a family, and many feel embarrassed when they get things wrong. When the conditions are so different, comparing the results is not entirely fair.
So what helps adults succeed? Regular contact with the language seems to matter more than long but occasional study sessions. Listening to material that is slightly above your level, speaking even when it feels uncomfortable, and setting concrete goals, such as ordering a meal or following a podcast, all appear to make a difference. Motivation plays an enormous role too: people who learn because they genuinely want to connect with others tend to keep going longer.
An adult who starts at forty may never be mistaken for a native speaker. But that is rarely the goal. The aim is to communicate, to understand and to be understood, and for that, it is very rarely too late.