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ln a 1ed1alk, aLrlcla kuhl argues LhaL language has a crlLlcal perlod for learnlng. 8ables
and chlldren are genluses" unLll Lhey Lurn seven, and Lhen Lhere's a sysLemaLlc
decllne. AfLer puberLy, we lose skllls ln acqulrlng a second language.
Per research focuses on flrsL crlLlcal perlod ln developmenL: Lhe perlod ln whlch bables
Lry Lo masLer !"#$" &'()*& +,- (&-* #) ."-#, /+)0(+0-. 8ables are Lralned Lo Lurn Lhelr
heads when a sound changes. lf Lhey do lL correcLly, a panda bear appears and pounds
a drum. 8esulLs show LhaL 1+1#-& $+) *#&$,#2#)+.- +// ."- &'()*& '3 +// /+)0(+0-&4 1(.
+*(/.& $+)5. do LhaL (we can dlscrlmlnaLe Lhe sounds of our own language, buL noL
Lhose of forelgn languages).
8ables sLop havlng Lhls sklll before Lhelr flrsL blrLhdays, Lhey are preparlng Lhemselves
for Lhe language LhaL Lhey are golng Lo learn. 1hls happens because whlle bables llsLen
Lo us, Lhey're Laklng sLaLlsLlcs on Lhe language buL sLaLlsLlcs of dlfferenL langauges,
such as LhaL of !apanese and Lngllsh, are very dlfferenL from each oLher. AdulLs are
already governed by Lhe represenLaLlons ln memory LhaL were formed early ln
developmenL.
! 8lllnguals musL keep Lwo seLs of sLaLlsLlcs ln mlnd aL once and fllp beLween
Lhem dependlng on Lhe language Lhey're chooslng.
8ables can even make Lake sLaLlsLlcs on a new language have never heard durlng Lhe
crlLlcal perlod. When Lrylng Lo prove lf Amerlcan bables could lmprove Lhelr Mandarln
sklngs [usL by belng exposed durlng Lwo monLhs Lo Mandarln, lL was shown LhaL Lhese
bables were as good as bables ln 1alwan who had been llsLenlng Lo Mandarln for 10
and a half monLhs.
6"- #).-,-&.#)0 3+$. #& ."+. #. .+7-& + "(2+) 1-#)0 3', 1+1#-& .' .+7- ."-#, &.+.#&.#$&4
because aLer repeaLlng Lhe experlmenL wlLh a Lelevlsln seL, Lhere were no lmprovedd
skllls ln Mandarln.