Children and language learning

To learn a language is to learn a set of all-purpose rules that can be used in an infinite number of ways. A new study shows that by the age of seven months, human infants are on the lookout for abstract rules – and that they know the best place to look for such abstractions is in human speech.

Full article here by Children and language patterns.

Adults think in abstractions whereas children try to build abstractions to order their world. This is why adults can grasp the rules of grammar faster than children if presented in the right way. Yes adults can learn the grammar faster. However, my style for learning a language is more about memorization and then some rules here and there, rather than the converse.

Grammar is about two things. Rules and repetition. Knowing the general rules are good. Generally and ultimately for me with very complex languages I found its better to learn the whole language. Learn the patterns and how the most common 3000 expressions are used and you will own the grammar. I learn by three ways 1) conversation 2) reading 3) dictation. This comes down to memorization. Memorize, repeat and repeat and you will learn the patterns of the language so when you have to learn the rules of grammar it will be more like aha, rather than what are they saying here.

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Tags: children and language learning, how children learn a language