LL-L "Language adaptation" 2003.12.08 (06) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

======================================================================
L O W L A N D S - L * 08.DEC.2003 (06) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
http://www.lowlands-l.net * lowlands-l at lowlands-l.net
Rules & Guidelines: http://www.lowlands-l.net/index.php?page=rules
Posting Address: lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org
Server Manual: http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html
Archives: http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/lowlands-l.html
Encoding: Unicode (UTF-8) [Please switch your view mode to it.]
=======================================================================
You have received this because you have been subscribed upon request.
To unsubscribe, please send the command "signoff lowlands-l" as message
text from the same account to listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org or
sign off at http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html.
=======================================================================
A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
=======================================================================

From: Éric Plourde <eric.plourde.1 at UMontreal.CA>
Subject: LL-L "Language adaptation" 2003.12.03 (01) [E]

Sorry for getting into this discussion pretty late, I have been doing
research
on translation of oral epics... It seems to me that children have a tendecny
to
adopt a new language (or an accent) faster than an older adult (to take an
expression from the Canadian Maritimes) or even a twenty-something is that
children must communicate and surround themselves with people that will take
care of them. Imitating the language fast is one way of maximizing the
possiilities of positive interaction with the social environment thus
increasing the chances for survival. The inhibitions normally present in
humans
are easily cast aside in the face of survival (Do I want to be ostracized?
No.)
Humans that are over 30 have more difficulty in learning the language/
taking
the accent because they already have established a solid network of
relationships and do not feel the pressure. Even for one couple of
immigrants,
they are recreating their microcosm in the new country and the child.
although
retaining language A for communication with his parents (or peers) must
quickly
switch to language B. Unless he lives in a ghetto or has sufficient amount
of
peers of his age speaking language A.

Eric Plourde
M.A. Translation
-- "D'oh! English! Who needs that? I'm never going to England!"
                                         - Homer Simpson

----------

From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Language adaptation

Hello, Éric, and welcome!  I believe this is your first posting to LL-L.
It's good of you to join us.  "Translation of oral epics" sounds
super-interesting to me.  I hope some of that will rub off here too.

Thanks for sharing your theory regarding language aquisition.  I find it
fascinating in that it seems to attribute "ability" to psychological
willingness due to social need, the need to survive being basic to it all.
(I hope I got this right.)

What you said certainly makes a lot of sense to me.  However, what about
people being thrown into a linguistically alien environment with little or
no native-language networking at (older) adult age, becoming more or less
fluent in the new language but never losing their very noticeable "accents,"
while adolescents and children tend to succeed much better under the same
circumstances?  I know several such cases.  In the case of families I can
see that parents and grandparents would tend to rely on the young ones who
are more intensively exposed to the new language and thus make progress more
rapidly.  But I know of people who did or do not have this "advantage" and
knew/know hardly anyone else who spoke/speak their language and still
had/have a very hard time with the new language.

What I am trying to ask here is if there isn't also an "aging" component
that is independent from the component of necessity, something like losing
certain physical abilities intended by nature to be more important in one's
youth.  In other words, are humans not perhaps genetically programmed to
start off at the top of language acquisition ability because they need to
survive, and does not perhaps this ability decrease with age for partly
genetic reasons because adults are supposed to no longer need it (as much)?

Wondering ...
Reinhard/Ron

================================END===================================
* Please submit postings to lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org.
* Postings will be displayed unedited in digest form.
* Please display only the relevant parts of quotes in your replies.
* Commands for automated functions (including "signoff lowlands-l") are
  to be sent to listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org or at
  http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html.
======================================================================