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From: marty1@houdi.UUCP (M.BRILLIANT)
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Re: Language Learning
Message-ID: <1409@houdi.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 10-Nov-87 15:49:50 EST
Article-I.D.: houdi.1409
Posted: Tue Nov 10 15:49:50 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 13-Nov-87 07:03:39 EST
References: <8986@shemp.UCLA.EDU> <1125@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu> <1966@uwmacc.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Holmdel
Lines: 48
Keywords: Goal Based
Summary: Plenty of evidence that adults don't learn language easily

In article <1966@uwmacc.UUCP>, edwards@uwmacc.UUCP (mark edwards) writes:
> In article <1125@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu> zwicky@dormouse.cis.ohio-state.edu (Elizabeth D. Zwicky) writes:
....
> :The idea of a crystallization period is supported by the data about
> :second language learning in normal humans, but the question I was
> :answering was about learning of *first* languages.	
> :
> :	Elizabeth Zwicky
> 
> 
>  I don't see why second language learning in adults supports the
>  "crystallization period". For one, when a child starts learning
>  to speak they do it naturally, they have plenty of time...
>  The adult learns a second language in a hurry....

There are immigrant adults who have been here twenty years or more and
don't speak English yet.

>  A child is also quite content saying "See dogie run.", "See dogie
>  run." Where as the adult may repeat this exercise a couple of times
>  and want to learn more difficult words and grammar combinations.
>  The child has more reinforment. For instance:
> 
>  Child: See dogie run?
>  Mother: Yes the dog is running. Look how fast he goes.
> 
>  An adult cannot usually have the same conversation. The other 
>  adult will soon get stone bored.

Oh, is that what happens? I thought children were supposed to be the
ones with short attention spans.

>  Is second language learning in adults inhibited because of the 
>  "c" period? 

Apparently, yes.

>  I think more facts must be weighed, more applicable data must
>  be gathered. Clearly the child and adult are in vastly different
>  environments when the process is being learned.

I'm told there is a lot of field experience with ESL (English as a
Second Language) that says that children dumped into a foreign language
environment learn the new language faster and better than adults.

M. B. Brilliant					Marty
AT&T-BL HO 3D-520	(201)-949-1858
Holmdel, NJ 07733	ihnp4!houdi!marty1