Too old to learn?

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peterwat54
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Too old to learn?

Postby peterwat54 » Thu Dec 08, 2016 11:08 pm

Is it harder to learn a new language as you get older? People always say that it's easier to learn things when you are young.



cameronlaw
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Re: Too old to learn?

Postby cameronlaw » Thu Dec 08, 2016 11:11 pm

Some studies say that it's actually easier. Read the "No you're not too old." section- http://www.fluentin3months.com/adults-vs-kids

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maxen57
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Re: Too old to learn?

Postby maxen57 » Thu Feb 16, 2017 8:21 pm

I don't think it's harder than some people would think. We currently have the means like modern technology to help us learn a language faster and easier. Philippines now is considered as an adequate and cheaper location to learn English for those who are non-native English speakers who travel from Japan, Korea, Russia, and other parts of the globe. Patient and capable language teachers will always do their best for a student to be motivated.

kamai
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Re: Too old to learn?

Postby kamai » Thu Feb 16, 2017 11:34 pm

I don't think its as hard as it seems. The reason why it's thought is easier to learn as a child its because children only have school to focus on making it easier for children to learn things faster. As adults we have so much in our heads that we forget or don't have the time to practice a new language.

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lexinonomous
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Re: Too old to learn?

Postby lexinonomous » Wed Mar 01, 2017 11:54 pm

From what I understand, the younger a child is, the easier it is for them to absorb the information. At some point our brain begins to slow down and doesn't take in information as easily. The older we become, the harder it is for us to retain information. Of course there are a few instances where this isn't the case. Every person is different and I'm sure there are people that can learn a new language with ease. It will always take some work, but I'd say if you're looking to learn, go for it! :)

sunny
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Re: Too old to learn?

Postby sunny » Fri Mar 03, 2017 11:15 pm

Hi! I'm nо sсiеntist, but I'vе bееn invоlvеd in lаnguаgе lеаrning fоr аlmоst tеn yеаrs nоw. I find thаt аgе аffесts lаnguаgе lеаrning mаinly in twо wаys:
• Аt 47, yоu аrе mоrе sеt in yоur wаys. I'vе sееn this sеvеrаl timеs: оthеrwisе аbsоlutеly brilliаnt аdults (аnd wе'rе tаlking pеоplе 25 upwаrds, nоt еvеn 47) fаil tо асquirе а nеw lаnguаgе nоt bесаusе thеy'rе tоо оld fоr it, but bесаusе thеy sеt thеmsеlvеs up tо. It's sеlf-sаbоtаgе. Lеаrning а lаnguаgе rеquirеs grеаt mеntаl flеxibility аnd а lеvеl оf humblеnеss аnd оpеnnеss tо diffеrеnсе thаt mаny pеоplе hаvе fоrgоttеn by thе timе thеy'rе аdults. If yоu mаnаgе tо put аll this bеhind yоu, mаnаgе tо rеplасе thе "I'm just tоо оld tо undеrstаnd this" with а "I'm gоing tо tаkе my timе tо undеrstаnd this", thеn yоu shоuld hаvе nо prоblеm асquiring а nеw lаnguаgе. I'vе sееn it dоnе оvеr аnd оvеr in pеоplе оvеr sixty--this оnе is аn issuе оf аttitudе.
• Аt 47, оnе will lеаrn slоwly. This оnе is sоmеwhаt unаvоidаblе: thе оldеr yоu stаrt, thе lеss "brаin pоwеr" yоu hаvе tо dеvоtе tо mеntаlly intеnsivе tаsks likе lаnguаgе lеаrning. It's nоrmаl, аt 47 оnе's еxpеriеnсеs in lifе hаvе tаxеd thе brаin thus. This isn't а bаd thing, it just mеаns yоu shоuld givе yоursеlf pаtiеnсе аnd а lоt оf lееwаy whilе lеаrning.
Sо nо, it's nоt tоо lаtе. It's аlwаys thе right mоmеnt tо lеаrn а nеw lаnguаgе, nо mаttеr оnе's аgе. Gооd luсk.

Faerie
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Re: Too old to learn?

Postby Faerie » Fri Mar 03, 2017 11:17 pm

The key to learning a language at any point in your life is to find an incentive to practice it all the time. It's 'use it or lose it' when it comes to language.
Your incentive could be anything from seeking to expand your business abroad, to watching movies/reading books or meeting or having met and interesting person. As long as you have that motive to keep you going, you don't feel like it's a drag to look up words and read dialogues or go through the process of understanding why it is you say certain phrases, etc.

There's also no limit to how many languages you can learn. There are people out there who are fluent in 30 languages, and no, they are not super-geniouses, what they do is they also dig up the cultural history of the language that they learn in order to create better mental correlations between expressions and their meaning.

Arya Snark
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Re: Too old to learn?

Postby Arya Snark » Sun Mar 05, 2017 10:56 pm

Yes, but people exeggarate the influence of this. You have best abilities for language learning until you're about 20, but you can still learn new languages after that. More importnantly, there's no further increase in difficulty until you're really getting older,a nd you will benefit from yuor experience with learning and systematic work.

ReadmeByAmy
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Re: Too old to learn?

Postby ReadmeByAmy » Thu Mar 09, 2017 10:16 am

When it comes to learning new things in our life age does not matter. It does not mean that if you are already old you will deprive yourself to learn something new even though you still have the capacity and the determination to learn. Like me, I am not that young anymore and I am not that old also but I am learning a new language since I married a Korean. At first it is really hard because the language is different from English and Tagalog which I grew up speaking. But the patience, determination and willingness to learn a different language pays off and now I knew somehow how to write and read and to communicate using their language. But up to now I am still studying and learning for more and it is always exciting and a great experience for me.

Ghost_Writer
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Re: Too old to learn?

Postby Ghost_Writer » Thu Mar 09, 2017 11:02 am

It all depends on the person's interest in learning because every season of life provides a feature which tends to facilitate the learning of a new language. For instance: When you're younger, you have the unbridled desire to absorb as much information as possible, but hardly learn anything... And when you are older, the unbridled desire may still exist, but you already have a life experience and certainly will organize the content more effectively. ;)


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