什么时候才是学习一种新语言的最佳时间？
Time to Talk: When is the Best Time to Learn a New Language?
一说到学外语，我学习了不少，但是都学得不精。
When it comes to languages, I’m one of those people who it could be said is “knowledgeable about a lot, but an expert at nothing.”
我在学习和旅行的时候涉猎了法语、基础日语，零星几句西班牙语和一点粤语、普通话。然而，在这些语言当中我只有在用日语和以日语为母语的人交流的时候比较有自信而已。
Over my studies and my travels I have picked up a basic grasp of French, elementary Japanese, a few words of Spanish and even a little Cantonese and Putonghua. However, with the probable exception of Japanese I would not have much confidence in my ability to actually communicate effectively with native speakers of these languages.
但是其实我学习法语的时间比在学日语的时间还长。
However, I actually studied French for a longer period of time than I have Japanese.
先不说我这十年来在日本来来去去的生活轨迹，但其实我在最近两年才开始认真地学习这门语言。
Despite living in Japan on and off for the past decade, it’s only really in the last 2 years or so that I have taken any serious steps to actually learn the language.
在我这个年纪开始学习第二、甚或是第三语言实属不易。
It isn’t easy to move into learning a second, or in my case third language at this stage of life.
科学研究表明，学习一门新语言的最佳年龄是2-7岁。然而在苏格兰的学校孩子从未在12岁前接触任何外语。我则是在12岁开始学习法语，并且学了长达5年之久。
Scientific analysis shows that the optimum time to learn a new language is from the ages of 2 to 7. At school back in Scotland we didn’t even set foot in a foreign language class until I was 12. In my case it was French class, which I went on to study for a further 5 years.
这可能就是苏格兰人为什么不擅长于外语的原因吧。我们来跟香港做个比较：今天，大部分生活在香港的人不仅能够说双语，越来越多人还能够说三语——许多香港人的母语是粤语，他们的英语和普通话也很流利。
Perhaps this is why such a low percentage of people in Scotland are fluent in a second language. Let’s look at Hong Kong as a comparison. Today, most people in Hong Kong aren’t just bi-lingual; increasingly they are tri-lingual. These days most Hong Kongers are fluent in both English and Putonghua in addition to their native Cantonese.
这个情况和苏格兰恰恰相反，主要原因很简单：香港的孩子从更小的年纪就开始接触英语，而且他们有大量接触英语的机会。
This is the polar opposite to Scotland. The main reason is very simple: in Hong Kong kids start to learn English at a much earlier age and with a far greater level of exposure.
在香港，英语是无处不在的。当我在香港工作的时候，我们公司有一个规定，就是不论大小会议都要用英语进行对话，尽管大部分员工的母语都不是英语。这的确鼓励了大部分员工使用英语的深度和广度，也在很大程度上提升了整体的英语沟通水平。
English is everywhere in Hong Kong. When I worked there my office had a policy of all meetings and conferences being conducted in English, even though the majority of staff were non-native speakers. This encouraged greater participation and wider use of English, raising the overall communication level considerably.
此外，香港人从幼儿园阶段就开始学习英语，近来还有越来越多孩子学习普通话。这种情况不仅出现在语言课上，香港的许多学校都用英语或者普通话作为教学语言。
Additionally, in Hong Kong people learn English, and in an increasing number of cases Putonghua, from kindergarten onwards. And this goes beyond mere language classes. In schools in Hong Kong students are taught using English or Putonghua as the language of instruction.
因此，不但是英语课，你也会看到社会研究或者是科学课使用英语来授课的。或者你会看到历史或者地理课上的老师说普通话。许多学校的差异在于，他们会否使用第二语言作为教学语言，而这点正是许多好学校的优胜之处。
So, for example, in addition to English classes, you may also have social studies or science classes conducted in English. Likewise you may have a history or a geography class conducted in Putonghua. Whilst the actual breakdown varies from school to school, the idea of using secondary languages as a language of instruction is a cornerstone of education in many of the city’s better schools.
这不仅仅是香港独有的教学方法。
And this is not purely a Hong Kong idea either.
任何在欧洲大陆呆过的人都知道，荷兰人具有最高的英语水平。那是因为他们创造的英语环境比任何地区都要多。他们不仅在学前阶段就使用英语，他们连电视节目都是双语的。荷兰的孩子从很小的年纪就开始被鼓励多说英语了，他们的父母也很推崇孩子说流利的英语。可惜的是许多苏格兰的父母还没有意识到孩子能说双语背后蕴藏的宝藏！
Anyone who has spent some time in continental Europe will notice that, of all the European nations, it is perhaps the Dutch who seem to have the best command of English. This is because they take language immersion to a whole new level. Not only is English used as a language of instruction from pre-school onwards, but television is bi-lingual too. Dutch children are actively encouraged to communicate in English from a very early age, and parents fully appreciate the value of their children becoming fluent English speakers. It’s too bad most Scottish parents have yet to realize the wealth of opportunities that come from being truly bilingual!
然而还是有很多人对从孩子幼年便开始的外语教育持反对态度。
There are however those who disagree that it is necessary to start learning a foreign language so young in order to attain genuine fluency.
我在日本这边的一位同事最近就刚刚通过Eiken考试的一级水平（该考试是检测日本人英语水平的最高水平测试），她就认为任何人只要教育得当，他们的英语水平都能够在任何年龄达到母语者的水平。
One of my colleagues here in Japan, who recently passed the Eiken Test Level 1 (the highest level of English competency for Japanese speakers of English), believes that any age of student can achieve a native-like level of English competence if they apply themselves fully.
她不无正确地指出，学习一门外语并不只是把它的单词和语法句式嵌入大脑，还要理解这种语言背后的文化以及内涵，而这些是幼童或者小孩无法做到的。
She rightly pointed out that learning a foreign language isn’t just about committing the vocabulary and grammatical patterns to memory. It is also about understanding the culture and the context in which language is spoken, which isn’t really possible for toddlers or younger children.
她也指出，母语为英语的教师可以多学习外语，以更好地理解和帮助学习英语的外籍学生。
She also explained that she feels native English speakers should learn more foreign languages as she feels this would help them to better empathize with their students as they struggle to learn English.
在这一点上，我们俩都达到了一致的观点。作为一名英语教师，也是母语为英语的人，我觉得不尝试学习学生所说的语言不但相当傲慢，而且是弄巧成拙的做法。
On this point, she and I are in complete agreement. As an English teacher, who is also a native speaker, I think it is rather arrogant and self-defeating to expect foreigners to learn your language whilst you make no attempt to reciprocate by learning theirs.
总的来说，我的总结是这样的：生活在能够及早接触到英文课程的地区的人是非常幸运的。但也有这样的一句老话：“学习任何新事物，从来都不会太迟。
Overall, I guess we can conclude that those who are fortunate enough to live somewhere that begins English lessons earlier has a distinct advantage. However, as the old adage goes: “You are never too old to learn something new.”
