Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id TAA22931 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Thu, 22 Feb 2001 19:55:32 GMT Message-ID: <001c01c09d0e$47c0e220$5108bed4@default> From: "Kenneth Van Oost" <Kenneth.Van.Oost@village.uunet.be> To: <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> References: <3A9292E8.20151.14F460@localhost> <001601c09b88$c812b2a0$3a6861cb@oemcomputer> Subject: Re: Lesser genes than expected Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2001 21:00:59 +0100 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_000E_01C09D12.8ECAC740" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2314.1300 X-Mimeole: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2314.1300 X-RBL-Warning: (orbs.dorkslayers.com) Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
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----- Original Message -----
From: Brent Silby
To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2001 11:02 PM
Subject: Re: Lesser genes than expected
It is true that once the brain 'connects itself up' new languages are harder to learn. After a certain age, the brain's neural net firms up well used connections, while the unused connections deteriorate. This, of course, is not to say that *no* new learning can be achieved. However, people will tend to find it easier to acquire information that fits in with the existing neural structure. For this reason, it could be the case that people find it easier to learn languages that are similar to their own native language (by this I mean languages that share a similar structure), while totally foreign languages are more difficult.
<< Is there anyone who knows if Dutch has some similar structure to ( all)
others languages !?
Or that Dutch has a structure in itself to learn other languages more easily
and for example English do not !?
Most peculiar by the way that Hollanders also speak Dutch but have problems
learning Frensh !!
Or is it all related to the history of the Flanders !?
Just a question....
Best,
Kenneth
( I am, because we are)
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