This blog is about language learning but not in the understanding of methods and/or techniques used to learn a foreign language but from a very narrow perspective of a language talent. Language talent, language aptitude, language learning propensity - all these terms are used interchangeably with reference to some sort of specialised abilities needed to learn a language. Or rather, believed to be needed to learn a language. There are a lot of misconceptions about this hypothetical, special talent for languages but the common belief is that it does exist. This belief is based on everyone's experience with langauge learning either that from schools (formal language learning) or from the naturalistic contexts (informal language learning). People have noticed that some people learn a foreign language faster and easier while other people do not. That is, they do learn a language to a certain extent but the process for them is slower and far more difficult than in the case of the first, lucky group. So to explain this fact we attribute this lucky group with some sort of a special talent, language learning ability which they possess and which makes the learning of a foreign and/or second language easier for them. Does it mean that the other, less lucky group will not learn a foreign language? That those who do not have these special abilities are doomed to failure? Absolutely not! What it means in effect is that those 'unlucky ones' do have SOME language learning abilities, however incomparable they might be with the high-aptitude group. Still, they will learn a foreign language in the end, however they need to invest more time and effort on their part in the process of learning (but see also my next post on this issue). An important thing to understand here, at the very begining of our blogging (or blabbing) about language aptitude, is this: EVERYONE CAN LEARN a foreign language irrespective of whether one has a language learning talent or not. On this view, foreign language aptitude is understood as a set of special abilities which are available to everyone. What people differ by is the amount and intensity of those abilities. This is very often interpreted in terms of more time that they need to master the language than do their talented friends. But, it doesn't necessairily have to be so as I explain in my next post: What is language aptitude? - 2.
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