Inherently Better Language Learners?

Antimooner Me   Fri Dec 18, 2009 7:18 am GMT
I struggle with this one. Are some people just better at languages? I am beginning to think "yes"-some people are. On the other hand, maybe the "better" learners are more motivated and have incremental goals instead of some goal like "I'll learn 10 languages to fluency by the age of 30".
seguidor del diablo   Fri Dec 18, 2009 8:04 am GMT
"I'll learn 10 languages to fluency by the age of 30".

La gente que puede aprender idiomas es la que no dice pelotudeces de esa clase. Hay que ser muy hijo de puta para pensar de esa forma. Esas son ilusiones de niños que piensan que de verdad pueden ser estrellas de rock o deportistas famosos o lo que sea. Cuando la gente se resigna a la realidad, deja de tener metas ridículas... y a lo mejor también se pone a estudiar y no echar mierda por la boca.

Por cierto, ¿no estarás hablando del foro HTLAL? Pues allí hay muchos pelotudos. Si me forzaran a escoger 20 personas para morir, antes que nada buscaría entre la gentuza que visita ese foro. Todos son jóvenes que dicen que van a aprender todo un arsenal de idiomas, pero nadie llega muy lejos, cosa que me regocija enormemente... Se ve muy claramente que solo hay gente que piensa hacer eso, y no hay nadie que ya lo ha hecho.

Esta noche le rezaré a Satanás para que muera algún que otro hijo de puta de allí...
fraz   Fri Dec 18, 2009 8:30 am GMT
Some people are better with numbers than others so I reckon it's a fair assumption to say that some people shine at languages.

What I don't accept though, is the people who flatly refuse to learn a language and hide behind the excuse that they "can't do languages"
a demotivator   Fri Dec 18, 2009 8:58 am GMT
<<
What I don't accept though, is the people who flatly refuse to learn a language and hide behind the excuse that they "can't do languages" >>


Sounds like a good excuse to me. By saying "I can't do languages" you instantly cut off all possibility whatsoever of being subjected to something very unpleasant - the useless mental effort of learning a language. The same with people who say "I can't do maths". What better way to avoid something than to yank out all hope by the root?

Yes, maybe if they actually tried, they could be as good as anyone else. But why would anyone want to do that?