Don't Force a Language

[Niko]

Tribal Language Acquisition

Let's take a look at language learning in other cultures.

There is apparent successful language learning in adulthood among certain Indian tribes in the Amazon Basin in South America.

There are about 2 dozen languages spoken among these people. No member of any tribal group is allowed to marry someone who speaks the language of their own group. You can only marry someone who speaks a different language.

These people are constantly learning languages from the time they are little kids to the time they are old.

How do they do it?

The Indians do not practice speaking a language until they know it well enough. Instead they passively learn words and phrases in it and familiarise themselves with its sounds. Similar to how a child learns a language.

They may occasionally attempt to speak a new language in an appropriate situation, but if it does not come easily they do not force it. Input lets speaking emerge.