What is the Optimal Age for Language Acquisition?

Are you attempting to raise children who are bilingual? Or maybe you've always wanted to learn a new language, but you're now afraid you're too old? If this is the case, you may wonder, "At what age is it easiest to learn a new language? Although scientists have conducted extensive research on the topic, there is no one answer that everyone agrees on, with the possible exception of "the sooner, the better."

Are you attempting to raise children who are bilingual? Or maybe you've always wanted to learn a new language, but you're now afraid you're too old? If this is the case, you may wonder, "At what age is it easiest to learn a new language? Although scientists have conducted extensive research on the topic, there is no one answer that everyone agrees on, with the possible exception of "the sooner, the better."

development of language

We do know that the younger you are, the easier it is to learn a new language. What gives? The reason has to do with how children acquire language and how their brains develop as they age.

As if by instinct, our brains are wired during childhood to acquire language naturally. By merely listening, we can infer the grammar of the languages we hear around us. Children raised in bilingual households can acquire the grammatical and lexical structures of both of the languages they hear, switching between them as necessary.

However, as we age, this ability begins to diminish. Grammar ceases to be something we "just know" and becomes an obscure set of rules we must memorize for the majority of us. We also lose the ability to hear and imitate sounds that are not present in our native language.

Consequently, it is evident that childhood is a "crucial period" for language development. What does this imply for young language students?

the scientifically determined "best age" to learn a new language

Various scientific studies have attempted to determine the end of the "critical period" for language acquisition, with sometimes contradictory findings.

For instance, according to a new study published in May 2018, children retain their innate ability to learn the grammar of a new language until the ages of 17 or 18. However, they must begin learning the new language by age 10 in order to master it before the conclusion of the "critical period."

According to a previous study, the window of opportunity for natural language acquisition may begin to close between the ages of 5 and 7 years.

A 2017 study found that Spanish-speaking infants aged seven months to three years could learn English in addition to Spanish with as little as one hour per day of play-based instruction.

Are you too old to acquire another language?

Regardless of the research, none of this should deter adults from attempting to learn a second language. It is never too late to learn a new language, regardless of your age. However, since your brain's capacity for adaptation and change diminishes with age, you will likely need to practice more. Furthermore, you are more likely to struggle with grammar and pronunciation than if you had learned the language as a child.

Nevertheless, there is some good news. Even if you learn a second language as an adult, it can help prevent dementia.

What does this imply for firms seeking language services?

Obtain translators and interpreters who are native speakers of their target languages, as it becomes increasingly difficult to learn new languages as time passes.