Questions tagged [critical-period]

Questions related to the critical period (and its related "critical period hypothesis"), a period in life in which it is assumed that foreign language acquisition is faster and/or easier than in the period that follows. There is scientific debate about whether this period exists and when it is supposed to end. For broader questions about age as a factor in language learning, use the [age] tag.

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What are the main arguments for and against the critical period hypothesis, and what are alternative explanations?

Why is the critical period hypothesis so heavily disputed, yet widely accepted; what are its major strengths and weaknesses; what other explanations exist for the perceived "critical period", if it ...
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