The Atlantic – Michael Erad
“Once kids get older, there are fewer discernible patterns in which words they acquire. While early words are quite alike across languages, later learned words begin to differ, likely influenced by kids’ environments and interests. As Frank writes in Wordbank, “as acquisition unfolds, the features that make languages (and cultures) different from each other play an ever-increasing role in driving acquisition.” Yet the overarching theme of Wordbank is variability, no matter the language. This suggests that no culture, no family structure, and no social environment has some special sauce that will turn out speakers or signers of a particular type. Everywhere, kids are “taking different routes to language,” as Frank puts it.” (more)