Eli5: why does it get harder to learn a language as you get older?

470 viewsBiologyOther

It’s so easy to pick it up as as a child when everyone arounds you is speaking that language, but for some reason becomes difficult to pick up another language and learn it even if you’re constantly surrounded by people who speak it? why’s that?

In: Biology

6 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

I’m sure there is some neurological / linguistic answer to this, but for me it’s just that my adult brain is focused on many many more things at once than my child brain.

Its hard to remember the Dutch word for vegetabels while my brain is also remembering and figuring out my work projects, my household chores, when my bills are due, what to get dad for his birthday, how to drive a car, who to vote for, what I want to do on the weekend and what is the meaning of life.

You are viewing 1 out of 6 answers, click here to view all answers.