esl children cut native language insights 2 years ago wife adopted two kids russia time aged 6 5 5 time informally asked around got impression unlikely anything particularly interesting linguistically experiences learning english referred several books esl 2nd language learning among immigrants unfortunately due joys parenting never read references given spent time trying learn russian instead recently read something another adoptive parent posted experience made wonder kids experiences learning english far apparently little unusual adoptive kids skip details point inquiry starting wonder indeed something important language experiences kids adopted foreign language environment infancy key difference international adoptions esl situations older adopted kids suddenly cut input native language certain level vocabulary mastery language thrown esl 2nd language situation learn new language usually support native language learning new language takes considerable amount time kids could communicate minimally english year adoptive kids use 1st language seems stop within 1 3 months since kids seem realize longer serves useful communicative function 2 years kids speak people sounds like fluent idiomatic english however vocabulary seems greatly restricted compared native english kids age passive vocabulary words understand nt use seems especially restricted also peculiarities grammar usage perhaps typical second language speakers ignored adoptive kids since speak trace accent problems seem especially persistent probably pass unnoticed time show kids writing resistent correction readings linguistics thus far seemed generalize critical period lasting past kids age supposed learn languages like sponge adoptive parent however posted talking esl experts found esl learners generally phonics second language follow along group oral reading takes 7 11 years second language develop ability manipulate written english particularly abstract cognitive academic material poster also said children completely removed native language mastering principles especial problems learning new language also said many normal esl procedures break kids good tests diagnosing language learning problems kids situation enough unlike normal esl situation trained esl teachers may recognize problems know solve gave several references mostly pragmatic help kid level putting linguist hat reading lines came questions put linguistic community 1 anyone reading research relating language acquisition kids cut native tongue formative years 2 anyone provide references work 3 whether get answers 1 2 years formative years cutting child native language effect 2nd language learning 4 age range relation critical period language learning might correlation would tell us something kids learn languages differently easily adults 5 different effects cutting child native language different ages stages language formation seems pretty obvious earliest years 2nd language learning would asymptotically approach identity learning first language 6 1st 2nd languages contrasting features would seem kids would provide especial insight ug models parameters addition providing clue parameters set anyone looked 7 longterm language prognosis kids 7 11 years language difficulty difficulty often goes unnoticed least fact difficulty due language problems adoptive parent posted gave detailed chronicle daughter varying problems adoption age 4 5th grade parent finally came find daughter problems even though spoke english fluently seems likely severe longterm effects 8 kids others know completely lost native language except word isolates kids relearn native language easier get older looking contrasting features kids difficulty relearning might tell us lot parameter setting especially difficulties match others acquiring language 2nd langusge prior experience language kids cut native language would seem likely give clear data 9 effects cutoff one native language different kids like mine kids cut native language incompletely still talk addition wife rudimentary selfteaching continued exposure native language impoverished vocabulary grammar russian remained language household kids first year quickly came understand differences language differing ages could understand communicate kids quite well fluently russian month still understand even slow talking russian adult types errors kids tolerate make kids often wrong declensional ending irregular words seem quite different adults accept 10 english language discussions child language acquisition russian kids sure russian language sources would never get would like know typical russian child age kids adopted would typically mastered features like declensions numbers perfective imperfective distinctions proper use cases things nt mastered well enough able extract relistening tapes thaty made still spoke russian fluently lojbab lojbab access digex net bob lechevalier president logical language group inc 2904 beau lane fairfax va 220311303 usa 703385 0273 artificial language loglan lojban see ftp cs yale edu pub lojban see lojban www server href http xiron pc helsinki fi lojban