Teenager can speak 20 languages.

Well, I think people who speak a language that is spoken in large areas of the world (English, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, ...) tend do be a little bit "lazy" when it comes to learning others languages because they feel they don't really need to.

I originally come from the tiny land of Belgium (I see you have heard of it LOL) and at school we were taught many languages. By the time I was 18 I spoke Flemish, French, English and (some) German. For the next 4 years I took on Spanish.

Whenever I go to another country I at least try to get the basics (being able to say "hello" and "thank you" to the locals is the least you can do, don't you agree?). It shows you are willing to make an effort. Not being afraid to make a mistake is the key to success.

How is your Flemish/French coming along, by the way?

It depends how long you'll be spending in any one country. Way back in my travelling days I moved around too quickly to ever learn even one foreign language. (I have posted some short commentaries on the topic on my blog - http://barlowscayman.blogspot.com/2012/ … t-10.html, for instance.) It's never been a problem for me, because I always worked in my own language, which is English. My son went to live in Norway, and learnt Norwegian. It all depends on circumstances.

globetrotter wrote:

How is your Flemish/French coming along, by the way?

My Flemish is very good I must say

It depends if you have a linguistic talent to learn another language.

It's true time and linguistic talent are important.

And also some "goodwill" from the locals (for lack of a better word). Does this sound familiar to you: you're trying your best to communicate in a foreign language and the locals insist on answering you in (broken) English. Frustration, although done with the very best intentions!

But spending time in the country itself so you are forced to speak nothing but the local language to get by is the best way to learn (according to my humble opinion).

Mr Goldon I don't really think that it depends on moving to another country in order to learn a language if you watched the video, the teen in question never really moved out and yet he speaks the languages fluently.
We have an  American expat on this blog who has been living in China since 2010 and yet she doesn't speak Chinese or Cantonese.


Globetrotter my dear I speak only 3 languages French included (the most beautiful language in the world) but before I am 30 I have to be able to speak at least 6. My Flemish is basic but it takes time for Belgians to open up to strangers until then I don't think I'll practice as much.

globetrotter wrote:

And also some "goodwill" from the locals (for lack of a better word). Does this sound familiar to you: you're trying your best to communicate in a foreign language and the locals insist on answering you in (broken) English. Frustration, although done with the very best intentions!

some people are also better at speaking to people learning their language than others are, IME. It takes a special balance between being encouraging (and therefore overlooking some mistakes) and providing words/corrections that will aid improvement. I've found with some people I'm practically tongue-tied, and with others I feel quite comfortable chatting for hours in a language I'm learning.

I'm now working on my fifth language, and I have to say the best learning experience has been German so far, because I've learned it almost entirely through experience of German families at reunions, weddings, and holidays.

This is really impressive!! What we need to remember is that we were all born with the innate capacity of learning any language and that could actually motivate anyone to take on a new challenge in learning more complicated language, for example, one with a different alphabet from our mother language. Just give it a go and it will work!!

that sounds like a very smart teenager.

Languages are far easier to learn as children.  The child's brain is an empty sponge; it will soak up whatever you pour over it.  The adult's brain is an old mouldy sponge; it can take in more but will resist it.

Some of us are mouldier than others.

The most difficult languages for me to learn were 'Ivrit, 官話, 吳語.  Not because they are more difficult to learn but because I studied them as an adult.