跟成人相比私植，兒童真的更擅長(zhǎng)語言學(xué)習(xí)嗎忌栅？許多成年學(xué)習(xí)者不僅認(rèn)同這一觀點(diǎn)，而且還常常感慨自己錯(cuò)過了學(xué)習(xí)外語的最佳時(shí)機(jī)曲稼。真得如此嗎索绪？

語言學(xué)研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)，在受控條件下贫悄，成年人的語言學(xué)習(xí)能力更強(qiáng)瑞驱。他們擅長(zhǎng)發(fā)掘語言背后的模式，能夠熟練地推斷和應(yīng)用語言規(guī)則窄坦。

當(dāng)然唤反，不能否定的是，學(xué)習(xí)者越年輕鸭津，就越能模仿新的聲音彤侍。他們對(duì)新聲音和新模式更加開放。而年長(zhǎng)者難免會(huì)受其母語口音的影響逆趋。但是盏阶，沒有關(guān)系，發(fā)音并不是流利的指標(biāo)闻书。所以現(xiàn)在你應(yīng)該充滿自信名斟，作為一個(gè)成年學(xué)習(xí)者吴汪，只要你有耐心，持之以恒蒸眠，就沒有理由學(xué)不好一門語言漾橙。

本篇課程首發(fā)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.

▍生詞好句

old dog, new tricks: 教老狗學(xué)新把戲，比喻很難讓一個(gè)守舊的人接受新事物

porous /?p?:r?s/: adj. 多孔滲水的楞卡；能滲透的霜运；有氣孔的

nuanced /?nju:ɑ:nst, ?nu:ɑ:nst/: adj. 微妙的；具有細(xì)微差別的

adept /??dept, ??dept/: adj. 熟練的蒋腮；擅長(zhǎng)…的

deduce /d??dju:s, d??du:s/: vt. 推論淘捡，推斷；演繹出

syntax /?s?nt?ks/: n. 語法池摧；句法

mimic/?m?m?k/: vt. 模仿焦除；摹擬

indicator /??nd?ke?t?, ??nd?ke?t?r/: n. 指標(biāo)，標(biāo)志作彤，跡象

▍詞匯拓展

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.

我試著教我奶奶做瑜伽膘魄，但最終也沒有成功〗呋洌看來給老年人介紹新事物還是不可行的创葡。

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

我給父母買了一個(gè)微波爐，但他們從不使用它绢慢〔涌剩看來改變他們的舊思想還是很困難。

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.

他氣憤地摔了他的電腦胰舆。

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

當(dāng)航班取消時(shí)骚露，他十分惱怒，撕了機(jī)票缚窿。

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.

魔術(shù)表演只不過是用鏡子來變花樣罷了棘幸。

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

兒童比成年人更擅長(zhǎng)學(xué)習(xí)語言只是一個(gè)傳言而已。

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

He understands the mechanics of doing business.

他明白做生意的機(jī)制滨攻。

She understands the mechanics of modern politics.

她了解現(xiàn)代政治機(jī)制够话。

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.

使用現(xiàn)代技術(shù)來鑒賞古代藝術(shù)品，讓我們對(duì)歷史和過去有了更細(xì)致的理解光绕。

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

be quite adept at something: 很擅長(zhǎng)做某事

She's quite adept at growing flowers.

她很擅長(zhǎng)種花女嘲。

She is quite adept at cooking.

她很擅長(zhǎng)做飯。

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

成年人更擅長(zhǎng)發(fā)掘語言內(nèi)在規(guī)律诞帐，這意味著他們更擅長(zhǎng)推斷和應(yīng)用語言規(guī)則欣尼。

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.

我對(duì)目前的工作感到很不滿意，因?yàn)槲液屯孪嗵幍貌缓谩?/p>

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

我擔(dān)心我的體重超重，所以我需要節(jié)食愕鼓。

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.

▍責(zé)任編輯

武志琳钙态、李煥

▍內(nèi)容校對(duì)

章曉丹