When is it too old to learn the language
 

Hello All,

I have a question which I am sure will draw a wide range of responses; some that may give me hope, while others that suggest I throw in the towel.

I am 48 years old and still struggle with the language. I have been studying off and on for 17 years. I am now taking some introductory level classes but find I get lost and since the teacher doesn't speak any English, I am often more confused than before. I think I am pretty dilligent since I have bought lots of book, make 100's of my own kanji flashcards, but still feel I am on the same learning plateau I have been for so long. When does one become too old to ever master the language and thud decide it is better off to throw in the towel.

Paul

Myth Busters have proved you can teach an old dog new tricks.

Don't worry. It's hard for English speakers to learn another language sometimes because of its... simplicity!

Don't overthink things and just work hardest on your weaknesses and DON'T study off and on.

Find a different teacher and try to create a proper pace for yourself. Why so many people fail at learning languages is because they don't know how to pace themselves.

this site is a good read All Japanese All The Time Dot Com: How to learn Japanese. On your own, having fun and to fluency. and a different approach to learning language.

basically, his theory (proven to work) is that if you immerse yourself in japanese as much as possible, you will be forced to learn it. he talks about concentrating on getting then input as much as possible as apposed to the output (ie. speaking). because, for example, you are in Japan, sure you may know how to ask for directions, but once they answer are you going to understand them? It's kind of like how we learned our native tongue when we were babies, except now we have the advantage of knowing out to speak and move our mouths properly so we dont really have to concentrate on speaking, it should come naturally. It seems pretty insane and a lot of people will argue that after a certain age you cannot pick things up like a child anymore. I haven't tried this method myself but I'm looking into it, it seems to be working for him :D

The best age to learn any language is between 8 and 15. You're a bit past that age, I'm afraid :p But no worries, you keep trying!

I think learning anything doesn't depend on age xDD It's good to stimulate brain with new knowledge.

But I think kenmei's right. The most you can be in japanese, the better.

An answer from a language acquisition specialist. :D Negative or positive - take it as you will.

I would say that there is never a point where you can`t learn a new language... However, it does become increasingly difficult with age for the brain to add new material to it`s language areas. This means that an older brain has to make do with the normal areas of the brain. By no means does this mean that you can`t manage well in a language, it just means that it will take a significantly longer amount of time for the brain to construct the necessary pathways for easy access.

A good metaphor often used is to think of the language part of the brain as an already built city, with public transportation - wide roads, clear signs, etc - all in place from the moment you`re born. It doesn`t take all that long to find your way around, and when new people (words, language, grammatical patterns) move in they`re immediately connected to the rest of the city - and your mouth. After a certain age (it varies from person to person), however, the "city" blocks immigrants.

However, this doesn`t mean that new people can`t move to the country (your brain). They`ll just have to work a little harder and forge a town for themselves out in the wilderness. It takes longer, needs more work, and will probably never be as easy to get around as downtown - but that doesn`t mean a new "city" can`t be formed. The brain will try to replicate the layout of the real "city" in the new version, so you`ll likely reference the layout you already knew in trying to find your way around - but things will never quite be the same and always take a bit longer.

^^^^^ TL;DR version : In theory, never.

Well i'm 29 & i'm learning 5 languages...sometimes it can be difficult but i'm not giving up...dont see why you cant enrich your brain at any age

Completely agreed.

It will be more difficult as you get older, but don't give up hope! I do Japanese class and there are a few older people there, and they are doing fine! I think it's just a case of working at it and practicing almost daily, if you don't go back and revise what you've done it just won't stick regardless of your age.

My 70 year old grandma is learning English so I dont think 48 is too old to learn Japanese :)

goal for studying
 

Paul: You and I have a lot in common. My name is Paul, I'm 46, I've studied Japanese on and off for ten years (after studying for 3 years at a university), and I can easily lose it without practicing every week. I was too old to get a teaching position in Japan, so I took one in Korea.
Can I ask your goal once you become fluent in Japanese? Mine was importing/exporting, serving as a liaison between U.S. and Japanese companies, possibly an instructor back in the U.S. at a college, maybe teaching English to Japanese corporations, etc. Any advice?

Hi Paul,

Thanks for the message. The reason I study is that my Japanese in-laws don't speak English. Also, I felt if I can learn the language, it will make me a better EFL instructor.

Paul

interested in Osaka
 

Paul:
Good luck with career in EFL. So far my stocks have plummeted 60% and my pay check has plummeted 40%, due to the decline of the won compared to that of the dollar. (This was after I lost everything during Hurricane Katrina in N.O.).
I am still interested in moving to Osaka to teach, and then making a much more stable income with Japanese currency. Please let me know if you have any advice. Thanks.
Seonsaengnim

I don't think you're ever too old to learn a new language although they do say it's better to do so when you're younger (ie. 5/6) because you can adapt more easily :)