With the world becoming a global village, more people have chosen to adopt a second or third language. In fact, studies show that 60% of the world’s population speaks at least two languages. But with most of the multilingual speakers being young adults and children, it begs the question – is there a relationship between age and language learning? We seek to explore this tradeoff while relying on research studies on the same.
Breaking Down the Language Learning Abilities by Age
As we age, our brain plasticity changes, and our ability to adopt new skills decreases. But does this also happen when it comes to learning languages? Let’s explore the nuances per stage:
Child Learners
You probably already know that young children pick up things easily. This brain plasticity also shows in their language-learning capabilities. In fact, children are so good at learning new languages that they can achieve native-like understanding, more so if they learn the language before the age of 10.
So, why are children such fast learners? Well, it all comes down to their high brain adaptability. Their brains pick up on things such as pronunciation, grammar, fluency, and intonation in new languages. And they adapt to them quite fast, making it easy for a child to speak the language fluently.
What’s more, most children learn languages through exposure as opposed to formal training. Such environments often foster natural curiosity, which makes them intuitive learners who can emulate what they have heard from others.
Adolescent Learners
Studies show that children are fast at adopting new languages up till the age of 10. Once puberty starts (at age 9 in girls and 10 in boys on average), this learning ability reduces as their neuroplasticity also lowers. So, what does this mean?
On the upside, adolescents still have highly adaptable brains. What’s more, their brains develop more at this stage, which gives them better memories and higher cognitive abilities. These result in enhanced speech perception, high vocabulary retention, and fast grammar learning. As such, they can learn a new language much faster than young children, especially in a formal setting.
On the downside, adolescents start losing their ability to achieve near-native pronunciation and accents. So, while they may understand the language, they are less likely to be as fluent as they would have been if they learned it earlier. However, this effect also boils down to the child’s age. For example, a 12-year-old will be more adaptable to new phonetic systems compared to an 18-year-old, all other factors held constant.
Adult Learners
People learn new languages in adulthood for several reasons, be it pure curiosity or as a way to expand their career or business prospects. So, how does this often play out?
Adults have the advantage of high cognitive abilities, which make up for their lower brain plasticity. As such, it is quite easy for an adult to study and understand grammar rules in a new language and figure out how to follow them. What’s more, compared to children, they already have a wide vocabulary in their native language. Thanks to this, they have the advantage of comparison as they can look for similarities in linguistic patterns and use them to simplify their learning experiences.
We also can’t ignore the motivation behind acquiring a new language. While many adults do it for fun, many do it because they want to grow in their careers, communicate with their families, or engage in an activity that brings them joy. This goal can serve as a huge motivator which can push adults to go the extra mile.
So, where might things become challenging? Well, there is the issue of neuroplasticity. Adult brains may have higher cognitive functions, but they are also less adaptable to new languages. The process of adopting a new language can take time, which can be disheartening. There is also the issue of accents. For many adults, native accents take dominance such that when they learn a new language, their dominant accents overpower the foreign accents.
Older Adult Learners
Many people pick up new hobbies and interests as they grow older. Might second language acquisition be a great choice for older adults?
On one hand, older adults have the advantage of dominant native languages and experience in navigating challenging situations. They can bank on these to tackle new languages, giving them an upper hand. On the other hand, some older adults may have trouble picking up new languages due to lower cognitive functions.
Conclusion
There is a clear link between age and language learning. However, when comparing child vs adult learners, it’s important to note that factors such as the type of language, the learning environment, and the motivation also play a crucial role in the learning curve.