跟成人相比，儿童真的更擅长语言学习吗？许多成年学习者不仅认同这一观点，而且还常常感慨自己错过了学习外语的最佳时机。真得如此吗？

语言学研究人员发现，在受控条件下，成年人的语言学习能力更强。他们擅长发掘语言背后的模式，能够熟练地推断和应用语言规则。

当然，不能否定的是，学习者越年轻，就越能模仿新的声音。他们对新声音和新模式更加开放。而年长者难免会受其母语口音的影响。但是，没有关系，发音并不是流利的指标。所以现在你应该充满自信，作为一个成年学习者，只要你有耐心，持之以恒，就没有理由学不好一门语言。

本篇课程首发于2019年1月28日

(adapted from an article originally published in The Daily Telegraph, UK)

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationopinion/10315238/Are-children-really-better-at-foreign-language-learning.html

Are children really better at foreign language learning?

① It's the classic 'old dog, new tricks' excuse. Many adult learners, in fits of frustration, will claim that adults are simply poor at languages.

② They say children have more porous minds, better memories, and more adaptability. Current studies tell us this is nothing more than a language learning myth.

③ Linguistic researchers have found that, under controlled conditions, adults are actually better at language learning.

④  While children are still learning the mechanics of their own first language, adults have a more nuanced understanding of how language works.

⑤  Adults are more adept at finding patterns, which means they're more skilled at deducing and applying language rules.

⑥  Because children use smaller vocabularies and simpler syntax than adults, the standard for fluency in children is lower. Adult communication is more complicated. We're expected to be able to speak about a broader range of topics and go into greater depth.

⑦  Adults and children are measured differently - adults require more vocabulary and language competence in order to be considered fluent.

⑧  It's true, the younger the learner, the better they are at mimicking new sounds and adopting pronunciation. The brain is more open to new sounds and patterns in pre-adolescence, so it is very difficult for older language learners to speak without an accent.

⑨  While an adult language learner with a strong accent may seem less proficient, pronunciation is not actually an indicator of fluency.

▍生词好句

old dog, new tricks: 教老狗学新把戏，比喻很难让一个守旧的人接受新事物

porous /ˈpɔ:rəs/: adj. 多孔渗水的；能渗透的；有气孔的

nuanced /ˈnju:ɑ:nst, ˈnu:ɑ:nst/: adj. 微妙的；具有细微差别的

adept /ˈædept, əˈdept/: adj. 熟练的；擅长…的

deduce /dɪˈdju:s, dɪˈdu:s/: vt. 推论，推断；演绎出

syntax /ˈsɪntæks/: n. 语法；句法

mimic/ˈmɪmɪk/: vt. 模仿；摹拟

indicator /ˈɪndəkeɪtə, ˈɪndəkeɪtər/: n. 指标，标志，迹象

▍词汇拓展

1. Old dog, new tricks: it is very difficult to teach an older person new skills or new things or to get older people to change their habits.

I tried to teach my grandmother to do yoga. It was impossible. I guess you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

我试着教我奶奶做瑜伽，但最终也没有成功。看来给老年人介绍新事物还是不可行的。

I bought my parents a microwave oven but they refused to use it. I guess you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

我给父母买了一个微波炉，但他们从不使用它。看来改变他们的旧思想还是很困难。

2. in a fit of frustration– a very emotional, angry reaction (when you are frustrated) – you usually use it when you cannot get what you want or you cannot do what you're trying to do.

He destroyed his computer in a fit of frustration.

他气愤地摔了他的电脑。

He tore up his flight ticket in a fit of frustration when the flight was canceled.

当航班取消时，他十分恼怒，撕了机票。

3. a porous mind = a brain like a sponge;

be able to learn many different things very easily and absorb information like a sponge

4. a language learning myth

myth: an idea that is simply not true; nothing more than an inaccurate idea

If you say that something or someone is nothing more than something, it means they are only that thing.

The magic show is nothing more than a trick using a mirror.

魔术表演只不过是用镜子来变花样罢了。

Children learning languages better than adults is nothing than a myth – it's only a myth.

儿童比成年人更擅长学习语言只是一个传言而已。

5. the mechanics of something = the way that something works or happens

He understands the mechanics of doing business.

他明白做生意的机制。

She understands the mechanics of modern politics.

她了解现代政治机制。

6. nuanced: if something is nuanced (it has many nuances). It shows many detailed differences – sophisticated / it has complex qualities.

Using modern technology to look at ancient artworks gives us a more nuanced understanding of history and the past.

使用现代技术来鉴赏古代艺术品，让我们对历史和过去有了更细致的理解。

7. adept: if you are adept, you have a skill(skilled).

be quite adept at something: 很擅长做某事

She's quite adept at growing flowers.

她很擅长种花。

She is quite adept at cooking.

她很擅长做饭。

Adults are more adept at finding patterns, which means they’re more skilled at deducing and applying language rules.

成年人更擅长发掘语言内在规律，这意味着他们更擅长推断和应用语言规则。

8. syntax: grammar / the way we arrange words in a sentence

9. I'm quite frustrated in my current job because I don't get on with my colleagues.

我对目前的工作感到很不满意，因为我和同事相处得不好。

I'm worried about my weight so I need to go on a diet.

我担心我的体重超重，所以我需要节食。

10. Children are better at mimicking / copying sounds in a new language

Good pronunciation is not a measure of fluency – you can be very fluent in a language and still have your first language accent – you can reach a native speaker level of fluency (and vocabulary and grammar) but still have your first language accent.

11. Why do we believe children are better at learning a foreign language? Where did this myth come from?

· Children's advantages of learning language

If you start 'studying' a foreign language at the age of four or five years old, you're almost certainly in a classroom environment where that language is spoken (very important). You speak language possibly for one or two hours per day.

If you start learning a language after you're 20 years old, you almost certainly cannot be in a classroom for several hours per week. You have a job. You go to university. You have lots of other things to do in your life. You have many other things to think about.

The total amount of time/exposure: children have more time exposed to English in the classroom. They are exposed to more language input. Adults are spending less time on learning.

Children practice their foreign language in a classroom with a teacher, and will be corrected if they're wrong. An adult is not as likely to receive practice and even less likely to be corrected.

· Adults' advantages of learning language

a. Adults are better at finding patterns in language.

An experiment shows that adult language learning brains have advantages.

Adults and children looked at sentences in an invented language. It used the English alphabet to spell the words. They also heard the words being spoken. These were simple sentences made from words that did not exist. They were also shown some pictures with the sentences. Then they were tested on some basic meanings and grammar rules in this invented language. These were not common language rules and these rules did not exist in the first language or English, and no one told the participants what the rules were.

Young children, aged five to eight, were generally unable to get any answers correct.

Twelve-year-olds managed to work out some rules and applied it correctly.

Adults, however, scored highest on this test. They were able to figure out what was going on and apply their new knowledge more than any of the other age groups.

Working out rules is very important in language learning – and kids can’t do it.

b. Adults know how to learn outside the classroom.  Adults can access technology.

The future of language learning is digital – online – self-access – using materials from the real world.

In this new era of language learning, adults have the advantage. They are able to find these resources, but children rely on teachers to spoon feed them.

c. Adults are also better at setting goals (here are some realistic goals) :

Make learning a part of your daily life.

Make the most of technology.

Regularly speaking or writing something meaningful.

▍责任编辑

武志琳、李焕

▍内容校对

章晓丹