[Language Acquisition] If You Want to Polish Your Foreign Language Skills, First Polish Your Native Language: There Is a "Shortcut" Only Adults Can Take

Hello, good evening, and good morning.

I am Ada-chan, an active Spanish translator, interpreter, instructor, and coach who supports language learning that is never too late to start at any age.

Thank you for visiting my note again today.

Today's theme is an expanded and restructured version of the content I delivered on Stand.fm on June 9th ( https://stand.fm/episodes/68488032be7d0ecba75b8083 ) regarding "If you want to polish your foreign language skills, let's strengthen your native language."

As I say every time in my title roll, "It is never too late at any age." Yes, I can say that with confidence.
This is because language learning has "strengths unique to adults" that outweigh the "disadvantages of age."
And for today's theme, I would like to talk about the core of those strengths: "polishing your native language is the shortcut to foreign language acquisition."

Native language ability determines the foundation of a foreign language

This topic is often discussed in the language community, and it is a truth I constantly feel when observing learners.

That is, the "power of the native language" is reflected in foreign language learning.
In other words, no matter how many vocabulary words or phrases you memorize in English or Spanish, if you do not deeply understand the concepts in your native language, it is difficult to apply those expressions.

For example, even if you try to learn the difference between "sympathy" and "empathy" in English, if you do not understand the subtle differences in emotions like "compassion," "empathy," and "resonance" in Japanese, you will end up unable to use them effectively, and situations will occur where a native speaker thinks, "That should have been 'empathy'."
To put it further, for instance, in Japanese honorifics, the concept of humility does not exist in Spanish, so it is a daunting task for Spanish speakers to distinguish between them.
In other words, things you cannot express in your native language are difficult to express in other languages.

Why can children speak multiple languages?

However, there are bilingual and multilingual people, so some might argue that this is a counter-evidence.
Indeed, in Mexico, where I used to live, there was an example of an expatriate family. Of course, they spoke Japanese at home, but the children had been receiving bilingual education in Spanish and English since kindergarten, and from elementary school, they learned French as a second foreign language, and it seems they even had "English Day"-like days, so by the time they reached junior high school, they were speaking freely as multilinguals in a total of four languages.

"I guess I have to start when I'm a child after all."
Many people might think that, but there is actually a "pitfall" here.

It is true that a child's brain has a great advantage in adding bilingual or multilingual qualities.
And it is a fact that from junior high school, when full-scale English learning begins in Japan, that advantage is honestly almost lost.

However, on the other hand, there are many diplomats and translators/interpreters who started as adults, so while there is an advantage in language acquisition, childhood acquisition does not seem to be essential.

I will start with the conclusion: a "native language foundation" is essential for language development.
In fact, as the children of the expatriates mentioned earlier improved their Spanish vocabulary and writing skills, their expressions in English and French also became much richer.
In other words, nurturing your native language raises your multilingual application ability.

"There is no foreign language ability that exceeds the native language"—is that why adults have an advantage?

Here is an interesting study. In the field of language acquisition, it is almost an established theory that **"there is no second language ability that exceeds native language ability."**
This, conversely, means that the native language ability that adults already possess becomes the greatest "weapon" for foreign language learning.

Giving up by saying "I'm too old..." is actually a huge waste.
This is because adults already possess:
・The ability to understand abstract concepts
・The ability to logically construct things
・The ability to express emotions in diverse ways
in their native language.

In other words, you have the "content" that can be translated into a foreign language.
Don't you think this is a tremendous advantage?

A foreign language is not a "product of translation," but a tool to convey thoughts

I work as a translator and interpreter myself.
What is always required in the field is not just replacing words, but ensuring the meaning is conveyed to the other party.

What is required in that process is a "deep understanding of your native language." I still struggle immensely with mastering synonyms to avoid overusing similar expressions and vocabulary, and advanced learners don't just translate proverbs or maxims from a foreign language literally; they replace them with similar ones.

This is a fairly high-level topic, but ultimately, in language learning, "how you perceive the world from your native language" carries great significance. Therefore, it can be said that as your language proficiency increases, your Japanese ability and thinking skills are put to the test. Of course, I have failed many, many times, and even now, things often don't go well, but that is precisely why I have realized so many things.

Does the brain rejuvenate the more you use it? ── The "byproducts" of language learning

In recent years, research results suggesting that adult language learning contributes to brain activation have been attracting attention in the field of brain science. Learning a language is a complex task that simultaneously uses multiple brain regions, such as memory, concentration, attention, logic, and emotion. In addition, the brain areas that become active differ between your native language and a foreign language. In other words, you can easily imagine that by activating those areas, the benefits also extend to your native language. To put it another way,

learning itself is the ultimate "brain training"

.

Moreover, if it is a practical foreign language, it is directly linked to daily life, such as travel, work, and international exchange. Considering that you not only receive the benefits throughout your life but also experience breakthroughs in your own thinking by going abroad, foreign language learning might be incredibly cost-effective and time-efficient.

"It's too late now" is just an assumption. You can polish your words starting from this very moment

Not limited to language learning, I often hear people say, "It's too late now" or "I wish I had done it when I was younger." But is that really true?

I feel that it was actually after becoming an adult that I became able to convey my thoughts in my own words. My audio distribution on Stand.fm is part of that. When I first started, it was a clumsy beginning where I would write out the script thoroughly and re-record it many times... But now, I speak what is in my heart at that moment in my own words without a script. Isn't the ability to speak your thoughts clearly at an unconscious level a privilege that can only be achieved because you are an adult?

Conclusion: Language is a tool to "make the most of yourself"

Learning a foreign language is not just a hobby or just for skill improvement. It can also be said that it is
increasing the means to express your existence more richly. In other words, carefully re-examining your native language will always become the foundation for cultivating the languages that follow.

Because you are an adult, you can engage with language, including its background, context, and the nuances of emotion. It is not about age, but
whether you start learning now. I think that is the best "shortcut."

Thank you for listening (reading) again today.
¡Gracias y hasta luego!