Re:Do the math: too much calculus? (2012)
by dredmorbius on Thursday October 20, 2016 @08:01AM
(#12751552)
There's extensive research literature strongly suggesting an age link: https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=language%20learning%20a...
I'm also aware of a few other age/skill type relations.
Musical ability frequently manifests early -- by age 4-5 in numerous historical cases.
Talents requiring physical coordination -- ballet and gymnastics -- around age 9-10 by Russian tradition.
Maths and scientific curiosity perhaps early adolescence.
Complex logic and activities requiring a fully developed inhibitory function (avoiding reflex and rash actions) possibly early 20s.
I'm suspecting other forms of more synthetic (as in: assembling from parts) logic might not develop fully until the 30s or 40s. Other skills might similarly not develop until later.
Is there any evidence that this is actually due to their capability? I would say it's far more likely it's their environment. IE, people are constantly talking to young kids. They simplify what they say to make themselves understood. And children have a huge incentive to learn to communicate - to get what they want from parents, or just understand the world around them. The same isn't true for a grown adult trying to learn a second language, in isolation, that they don't really need in their day to day lives.
Disclaimer: this is pure conjecture.