Comment Re:If you're going to live in the US ... (Score 0) 1021
Sorry, but the above is a complete old wives tale.
The simple reason that you find it difficult to learn languages when your older is that you are not submersed in the language 24/7, 360 degrees.
As a baby/child, I heard English, I spoke English, my teachers tought me English, my friends spoke English and the TV was in English. The books were in English, the adverts were in English, radio was in English and the road signs were in English.
Learning Mandarin in London was hard, because I spoke Mandarin maybe 2 hours a day, whilst the TV was in English, my Job was in English, my girlfriend spoke English, the books I read were in English etc, etc. Get the point?
Living now in Geneva, I have learnt French to a basic fluent level in 6 months. I can communicate with anybody about anything I want. Want a test of language? Try importing a vehicle, or working in a hedge fund specialising in credit derivatives in a foreign language.
I work in international banks, with russians, chinese, eastern europeans, indians, americans, everyone. One thing we all agree on it the ONLY thing to make learning a language easy is to LIVE THERE. Only when you are submersed, can you actually pick up and use the language 24/7. Only then will you really become fluent in a reasonable amount of time. It's NOTHING TO DO WITH AGE.
The simple reason that you find it difficult to learn languages when your older is that you are not submersed in the language 24/7, 360 degrees.
As a baby/child, I heard English, I spoke English, my teachers tought me English, my friends spoke English and the TV was in English. The books were in English, the adverts were in English, radio was in English and the road signs were in English.
Learning Mandarin in London was hard, because I spoke Mandarin maybe 2 hours a day, whilst the TV was in English, my Job was in English, my girlfriend spoke English, the books I read were in English etc, etc. Get the point?
Living now in Geneva, I have learnt French to a basic fluent level in 6 months. I can communicate with anybody about anything I want. Want a test of language? Try importing a vehicle, or working in a hedge fund specialising in credit derivatives in a foreign language.
I work in international banks, with russians, chinese, eastern europeans, indians, americans, everyone. One thing we all agree on it the ONLY thing to make learning a language easy is to LIVE THERE. Only when you are submersed, can you actually pick up and use the language 24/7. Only then will you really become fluent in a reasonable amount of time. It's NOTHING TO DO WITH AGE.
