第五十七期Learning Language语言学习

源自可可英语，翻译详见原网页https://www.kekenet.com/Article/202003/607089.shtml

Learning Language

语言学习

Thank you for joining us fortoday's Spotlight program. I'm Liz Waid.

And I'm Rebekah Schipper.Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier forpeople to understand, no matter where in the world they live.

"The limits of your languageare the limits of your world." Ludwig Wittgenstein

This is a saying from LudwigWittgenstein. He is a writer. He knows how important language is to every-daylife.

Through all of history, peoplehave recognized the importance of language. Language helps people communicatewith each other. It lets people create and keep history. It helps peopleexpress their emotions and dreams.

There are thousands of differentlanguages in the world. And each one is different. Most languages use words tocommunicate. But other languages use hand or body movements. Some languages usesounds like clicks or whistles. Each language is different and beautiful.

When you were born, you learnedlanguage from your parents. Your first language is called your native language.By the age of three a baby can usually express his feelings, wants, and needs,using his native language.

How does a child learn a languageso quickly? Well, experts say that a baby is born ready to learn language.Babies are born with more than a billion brain cells. Millions of these braincells will develop to help the baby learn and control language. While a baby isstill very small, his brain cells begin to connect to other cells. They formlong and complex paths in the baby's brain. Every time a baby hears his nativelanguage, the language connections become a little stronger.

These connections can form for anylanguage. Every language is made up of a particular group of sounds. A baby'sbrain can hear hundreds of different language sounds. This is more sounds thanin any one normal language. Whenever a baby hears a new sound, the cells in hisbrain connect. But, he usually hears his native language the most. Theconnections for his native language get stronger and stronger. And connectionsfor other languages get weaker and weaker.

Experts say that most of a child'slanguage connections stop forming around age ten. They say that after age ten,a person will have a more difficult time learning a language. His brain hasalready formed connections with his first, or native, language.

Language connections can alsobecome weak if the baby does not hear any language. You may have heard theSpotlight program about Genie. Genie was locked in a room for almost thirteenyears. Her parents shouted at her and made sounds like a dog. They did notspeak to her enough. Genie did not learn many words. The language connectionsin her brain were weak. Even after rescuers found her, it was difficult for herto learn a language.

At the beginning of this programyou heard a saying from Ludwig Wittgenstein. He said "the limits of yourlanguage are the limits of your world". Language offers many wonderfulopportunities to people. In fact, Christians believe that language is a giftfrom God. They can use it to make their world more beautiful. They can uselanguage to express their needs, wants, and dreams.

Most parents want what is best fortheir children. And teaching children language is a very simple thing to do. Ifyou can speak a language, you can teach it. In fact, many parents and adultsalready make language learning easier for babies!

Many adults naturally speakdifferently to babies than to adults. They speak slower to babies. They speakin a higher voice. They speak more clearly, and say every part of a word.Experts say that these changes help a baby hear and recognize language. Adultsmay also repeat words when they talk to babies. Repeating words and soundshelps language connections form in a baby's brain.

Play language games with yourbaby. Many babies make sounds. The baby is trying to communicate through thesesounds. When the baby makes a sound, you can repeat it to him. Then add a newsound. Encourage the baby to answer you with another sound. Even though you arenot using words, you are talking with the baby! You can also sing songs or tellchildren's poems to the baby.

Read a book to the baby. Or tellyour own story to the baby. The baby will probably not understand the story.But, she will be hearing the sounds. She will begin to hear how sentencesshould sound.

Do not let babies watch too muchtelevision. Sometimes if parents are busy, they cannot give enough time totheir children. They may put a baby in front of the television to keep himquiet. But babies do not learn language as effectively through televisionsounds. They need to spend time talking and communicating with real people.