Re: sensitive period in language acquisition?

Hi Brent,
I'm really not sure what this template (or pattern) is like. And as I
said before my evidence is really unscientific. I use the null
hypothesis and human instinct. And I really cannot defend it because it
doesn't lend itself to objective reasoning. But logically it stands to
reason that a native speaking child will learn his language with more
facility than a child at the same age learning a second language. What
is it about my conclusion that you fail to grasp? The fact that I
didn't arrive at the "conclusion" through scientific means? I'm curious
about what your objections are.
Gerry


Brent Lords wrote:

>
> > Brett writes:previously
> > Remember, I was talking to Jerry specifically about
> > LEARNING abilities related to speech. I know I used instincts as a
> > counter-illustration but that was a simplificiation because she was
> > looking for an ingrained (hard-wired) "template". It would be a
> mistake
> > to take what was said about this narrow aspect of brain function
> > (Learning languages /speech) and apply it to brain functions and
> > behavior as a whole. It's a lot more complicated than that.
> >
> > Gerry here: I can't imagine what I might have said to lead you to
> think
> > I was looking for a "hard-wired" template. Actually I don't even know
> > what is meant by "hard-wired". What question I posited was whether
> this
> > "template" was in the infants head at birth, pre-birth, or post
> birth.
> > And I'm still curious. Any ideas?
>
> Hi Gerry -
> Guess I misunderstood what you mean by template. Can you give me an
> example of what you think this template is or does?
> > gerry
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> > Gerald Reinhart
> > Independent Scholar
> > (650) 321-7378
> > waluk@...
> > http://www.alekseevmanuscript.com
>
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--

Gerald Reinhart
Independent Scholar
(650) 321-7378
waluk@...
http://www.alekseevmanuscript.com