LL-L "Language acquisition" 2003.12.09 (02) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 09.DEC.2003 (02) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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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)
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From: jannie.lawn at ntlworld.com <jannie.lawn at ntlworld.com>
Subject: LL-L "Language adaptation" 2003.12.08 (06) [E]

Dear Lowlanders

Ron said: ...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)?

I believe this is the case.  The younger a child is, the easier it picks up
any language, including a new one. For that reason educationalists see great
benefits in starting to teach children a second language at an early age.
And young children who grow up bilingually do this without any effort, even
(subconsciously) using the right language to the 'right' adult.  (A Lebanese
friend of mine, who had married an Englishman, told me once that her young
children automatically switched to Lebanese when talking to her parents.)
Groeten, Jannie Lawn, Cambridge, UK

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From: jannie.lawn at ntlworld.com <jannie.lawn at ntlworld.com>
Subject: help needed

Dear Lowlanders,

Sharing experiences with some collegues and friends about having to learn
the language of the country a person was living in, we came to a discussion
about how many words you need to know in order to be able to communicate,
which words you need, which words you should learn first.
Some people come from Spain and Italy (not really the languages under
discussion in this group, I know), others from English speaking countries,
and The Netherlands.
The Lowlanders came up with words that are mainly nouns (words for
food/drinks, personal pronouns, some speech acts about 'greetings'), whereas
the Spaniards and Italians came up with verbs like 'to eat, to want, to
like'. Where does this difference come from - is that language or culture
orientated?
We haven't reached a conclusion, but I'm sure we'll continue this
discussion.
Therefore: what are your ideas? Which words are, in your opinion, important
to start with, while learning a second (third etc.) language? Any
idea/expierence is welcome.

Greetings,
Jenny Huijben-Kool
's-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands

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