UNIT 2 Audioscript

CONNECT to the topic page 12 WATCH the lecture page 16

Host: Our topic today is languages. I’m speaking Professor Brian Murphy: E01 Now, let me ask, how
with Dr. Julia Chintha, a linguist and expert on many of you have studied a new language, not the
bilingualism. So, Dr. Chintha, how many people in the language you grew up speaking? Show of hands? All
world are bilingual? right, OK. Well, today we’re going to look at second
Guest Dr. Julia Chintha About half the people in the language acquisition—that is, learning a second
world are bilingual, meaning they use more than one language. And one question that linguists like
language in everyday life. myself have tried to answer for many years is, why
is it considerably easier for kids to learn a second
Host: Wow, that’s a lot. Why are so many people
language than adults? Now, we’re going to look at a
bilingual?
few different theories about this. First we’ll look at a
Dr. Chintha Well, in some countries, there are theory that says there’s a critical period or phase—or
many different languages spoken. For example, in ideal time in life—for language learning. And then
Indonesia, which is a huge country, there are over 300 we’ll talk about other factors, such as the learning
different languages. So most people learn a common environment, attitude, and motivation. (COACHING
language—Indonesian—to communicate at school TIP 1) E02 Now, from the show of hands, I see that
and work. And, in fact, many people speak three or many of you’ve had your own personal experience
four languages. with language learning. And I have recently, too—I
Host: Now, around the world, which languages are started studying Mandarin Chinese— pu-tong-hua—
spoken the most? this last year. And so I’ve been going to class, you
Dr. Chintha In terms of native speakers—people who know, listening to language CDs. And I’m learning, but
grow up speaking a language—Chinese has the most it’s tough. It’s tough to learn a new language. And then
speakers, About 1.2 billion people. That means one in today, I went into my son’s class—he’s in first grade
six people in the world speaks Chinese. now—and one of my son’s friends, Zhiwei—he goes by
Steven now—he just moved here last fall from China.
Host: Interesting!
And when he first came into the class, he didn’t speak
Dr. Chintha However, English is the most widely used a word of English. I mean, not one word. But now,
second language. About 2 billion people use English as he’s talking away in English, not always perfectly, but
a second language. very easily, very fluent. And I’m, like, wow! This is
Host: Now why is that? so unfair. We’ve both been studying a new language
Copyright © 2017 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

Dr. Chintha Well, people learn English because it’s for the same amount of time, but he’s learning it so
used all over the world as a common language—in much more quickly. (COACHING TIP|2) E03 This is, in
business, in school, and for tourism. fact, something that linguists are very interested in—
understanding this difference between how kids and
Host: And what about native English speakers. Are
adults learn a new language. Now one explanation
they bilingual as well?
is that there’s a critical period for language learning.
Dr. Chintha No, unfortunately. Maybe they don’t feel Now this theory was first introduced in the 1960s by
the need to learn another language. For example, a linguist named Eric Lenneberg. And Lenneberg’s
only about 10 percent of native English speakers in theory says that during childhood, language learning
the United States learn a second language. And there is very easy. Basically our brains are just ready for
could be other reasons ... language learning. But later, starting in adolescence
and as we get older, our brains change—we lose this
FOCUS your attention page 15 childhood ability, and it becomes more difficult to
learn language. And that’s why adults have trouble
Speaker: In this class, we’re going to look at how learning a new language. E04 Well, if you’re an adult,
people learn language. First, let’s talk about babies: that’s a bit discouraging, right? You can look at my
How do babies learn language? Well, they learn by son’s friend Steven, who’s six years old, and me,
hearing language around them. They’re ready to learn who’s 29-plus, and say, well, OK, Steven is still in the
language at birth. Parents don’t have to teach babies critical phase; his brain works perfectly right now for
how to talk—not like we’re taught to read and write language learning. But you, you’re way past the critical
in school. No, we just talk to a baby, and the baby will phase, and your brain’s already changed, so too bad!
learn. Now you may wonder, why do babies learn so I’m sorry. But wait a minute! Is this comparison
easily? Well that’s a very interesting question ... between me and Steven really fair? I mean, there’s an
age difference, but there are a lot of other differences

Contemporary Topics 1 Unit 2 Audioscript 1

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 as well. Can we really say that my lack of progress Molly: What other factors?
learning Chinese is only because I’ve passed the Alana: Well, attitude, environment, and motivation.
critical phase? No, no, no. Many people, including Those were big for me.
linguist Robert DeKeyser, would say no, you have to
Molly: Hmm.
look at other factors. OK. (COACHING TIP 3) E05 Now
one obvious factor in second language acquisition is Rob: Really? How so? Like what was your experience
environment—the place where the person is learning. like?
So Steven is here in an all-English environment, Alana: Oh, OK, well, I came to the United States from
where he’s speaking English all day at school, and all Russia as a teenager, and every time I spoke, I got so
of his friends speak English. Me, on the other hand, nervous. I was afraid people would make fun of me.
I’m just taking a class two hours a week. So, sure, Molly: Oh, really? I thought kids learned easily.
I listen to my Chinese CDs in my car on the way to
Alana: Well, I was in high school, so a little older.
work, but other than that, I’m not in an environment
Anyway, I made some friends, I watched a lot of TV—
where I hear a lot of Chinese. And I wonder, what if it
and now I feel pretty comfortable talking to anyone.
were the other way around? What if I went to China,
and was in school all day hearing Chinese? And Molly: Good.
Steven was studying English only two hours a week. Rob: Ayman, what about you? What was it like for
Do you think that would change how well we were you?
each learning the language? Yeah, I’m sure it would. Ayman: Oh, well, to me, the critical period explains a
So, environment plays a significant role in language lot. My niece, who’s four, came over here when I did—
acquisition. (COACHING TIP 4) E06 Another factor two years ago. And she sounds like you guys.
in second language acquisition is a person’s attitude
Rob: Really?
about learning the new language. How do you feel
about learning? Now when I was watching Steven in Ayman: She talks like a native speaker. And I’m so
the classroom, playing with his friends, it was clear jealous!
he didn’t feel at all embarrassed about his English Molly: Oh, you’ll get there, you know, it’s just a matter
language abilities. You know, he can’t speak perfectly of time ...
yet, but when he made a mistake, he didn’t care, and Rob: Oh, definitely.
neither did his friends. They just kept on playing.
Molly: And practice.
Me, on the other hand, I find it very difficult to speak
Chinese when I’m not sure what I’m saying. I get very Rob: I mean, for two years you sound good, definitely.
nervous and embarrassed. And, as a result, I don’t Molly: Yeah.
practice speaking as much as I should. So clearly, a Ayman: Yeah.
person’s attitude about learning is very important in
Rob: I wouldn’t worry about it.
acquiring a second language. E07 Finally, the last
factor we’ll look at is motivation. OK, why is the

Copyright © 2017 by Pearson Education, Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.
person learning the language? Now, Steven is probably
very motivated to learn English. All his friends speak
it, so he needs to learn it in order to play with them. I,
on the other hand, want to learn Chinese, but I don’t
need to. So we’re both motivated to learn, but perhaps
my motivation isn’t quite as strong. E08 All right,
so, what do we understand about second language
acquisition? Well, there does seem to be a critical
period in childhood when language learning is much
easier. But it’s important to look at all the factors—
and there are several, including environment, attitude,
and motivation—which help decide if someone is
going to be a successful language learner. As for me?
I’m not ready to give up on Chinese just yet!

TALK about the topic page 19

Rob: OK, so what does everyone think about this
“critical period” theory? Like, the big thing is that it’s
harder to learn a language if you’re an adult, right?
Alana: Actually, speaking from my own experience,
I’d say the other factors he mentioned are just as
important.

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