Re: sensitive period in language acquisition?

----- Original Message -----

From: Marc Verhaegen

To: cybalist@egroups.com

Sent: Monday, January 10, 2000 3:47 PM

Subject: [cybalist] sensitive period in language acquisition?

Yes, the earlier the better IMO, eg, 2 "mother" languages at once, but I don't know if more than 2 languages will do.

An anecdote I remember from college days. One professor of mine held up the example of Joachim Jeremias. As a boy, he lived pre-WWII Jerusalem. He picked up Hebrew, Arabic and English 'in the streets' and his native German at home. This guy is esteemed as one of the great Old Testament linguists of all time.

 

Mark.