Children learn language from their parents--to imply otherwise is simply wrong. But children's brains are plastic enough that they can pick up a second language easily and without an accent. I teach at a community college with many non-native students and every class has at least 10 students who speak at least 2 languages. They learned their first native language,(Polish, Russian, Chinese, etc).from their parents as that is the language that was used in the home. But when they moved to the US OR started school in the US during their early years, their English is amazingly proficient without any accent. However, most of them are also still proficient in their first language that they acquired from their parents as, more often than not, their parents are still using their native language as opposed to English. There are various reasons for such but my many discussions with my students imply that many parents wish for their children to maintain their language skills from their "mother country," as well as maintain a cultural connection.
Of course, we also have a significant minority of ESL students who moved to the US in their late teens or adulthood and they do have an accent and have a more challenging time becoming proficient in English. Joan [email protected] don allen wrote: > > > > Hi Julie- > > I'd respond to the student by first directing him/her to Judith > Rich-Harris's "The Nurture Assumption" which addresses the issue by > suggesting that language isn't taught by parents, but by peers. I'd > also suggest reading the classic work by Werker &Tees: *Werker*, > Janet F.; *Tees*, Richard C.; Infant Behavior & Development, Vol 7(1), > Jan-Mar, 1984. pp. 49-63. which shows that phoneme > recognition/production occurs at an early age. If you can't hear the > phonetic difference between your speech & others you are unlikely to > be able to match their accent. > > Hope that helps, > > -Don. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Penley, Julie" <[email protected]> > Date: Wednesday, February 9, 2011 8:35 am > Subject: [tips] language and accents > To: "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS)" > <[email protected]> > > > Hello TIPSters, > > A student asked me why children don't always have the same > > accent as their parents, particularly in the case of parents who > > are second-language learners. A follow-up question from the > > class is why siblings who are raised together don't always have > > the same accents -- for example, a family moves from Chicago to > > Arkansas (like mine did) and the youngest child is the only > > sibling that does NOT have a typical "Southern" accent. Is there > > a neurological explanation for this, or are these primarily > > environmental effects? > > Julie > > > > > > Julie A. Penley, Ph.D. > > Associate Professor of Psychology > > Special Assistant to the Dean > > El Paso Community College > > PO Box 20500 > > El Paso, TX 79998-0500 > > Office phone: (915) 831-3210 > > Department fax: (915) 831-2324 > > email: [email protected] > > webpage: http://dnn.epcc.edu/facultywebpages/jpenley > > > > > > > > > > --- > > You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. > > To unsubscribe click here: > > > http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13157.966b795bc7f3ccb35e3da08aebe98f18&n=T&l=tips&o=8644or > > send a blank email to > leave-8644-13157.966b795bc7f3ccb35e3da08aebe98...@fsulist.frostburg.edu > > > > Don Allen > Retired professor > Langara College > > --- > > You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>. > > To unsubscribe click here: > http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=49240.d374d0c18780e492c3d2e63f91752d0d&n=T&l=tips&o=8647 > > <http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=49240.d374d0c18780e492c3d2e63f91752d0d&n=T&l=tips&o=8647> > > (It may be necessary to cut and paste the above URL if the line is broken) > > or send a blank email to > leave-8647-49240.d374d0c18780e492c3d2e63f91752...@fsulist.frostburg.edu > <mailto:leave-8647-49240.d374d0c18780e492c3d2e63f91752...@fsulist.frostburg.edu> > --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=8655 or send a blank email to leave-8655-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
