Charlie Rose

BillMarston  08/28/2010 04:28 AM Report

c824767 wrotek in part: "...kids can get quite confused by multiple languages especially if the languages are very similar to each other. like french and italian.

unless the child is very gifted and has a special knack for languages"

(hmm. interesting already in the difficulty I had in typing above who it was that I quoted - because it was a string of numbers and not a "word" or a "name". ... ah, well... GRIN)

"Gifted" in language just means that those synapses remain functional after the initial language absorption phase. But WHY!!? I am one of those who do, although I am not an actor nor a mimic nor a party clown. I just can and have always been able to (since having the luck to study a foreign language in American public school at age 11 along with some 30 - 70 others for introductory program in 7th grade, in 1959; and then Russian experimentally for a summer between 10-11th grades - with only a Wollensak tape recorder as our teacher - well, OK workbooks of alphabet, thenwords, then sentences but 80% was LISTENING / REPEATING with sound-isolating headphones). It worked superbly well at least for me, and I have not spoken with the other 17 or so in decades... moved by this I will try to contact some of them to compare experiences - success in ear & tongue, though without use, of course, no growth or staying power of grammar, declension, vocabulary, etc.

c824767  06/07/2010 11:05 AM Report

so kids can take in multiple languages up until the age of 7. then the ability declines and kids can get quite confused by multiple languages especially if the languages are very similar to each other. like french and italian.

unless the child is very gifted and has a special knack for languages

laurat  02/28/2010 02:31 PM Report

episode 5 transcript page 3 the discussion is about Rett Syndrome. I have some experience with a friend with Rett Syndrome. Rett Syndrome (RTT) is the "Rosetta Stone" of neurological disorders. Research on RTT will bring us closer to answers for Schizophrenia, Autism, Alzheimers. To learn more about RTT go to www.rettsyndrome.org the international rett syndrome foundation is fantastic site. Thank you for this excellent program. I will continue to watch. Laura

NonaFamous  02/25/2010 06:16 PM Report

This 5th episode on the brain is the first I've seen. This topic on language ability is precisely what my University foreign language methods students and I are taking up now.

Thank you for this cutting edge presentation.

jagal  02/25/2010 10:28 AM Report

That was absolutely amazing program. I have not seen previous episodes yet, but I'm sure I will.

One question occured to me regarding to language learning process - are there more or less difficult languages for babies to learn? Analyzing what all guests talked I think there is no difference for child which language he learns.

ShalomFreedman  02/25/2010 02:14 AM Report

This was another extremely interesting program in this 'Series'. As a layman I take pleasure in learning certain basic bits of knowledge and ideas which filter through the discussion. A baby coos and then at eighteen months babbles and then a year has a word and at two years two words together and then at three can speak whole sentences. The idea that different aspects of intelligence develop at different times and rates , also expressed by Patricia Kuhl is perhaps a cliche for researchers but for the layman a bit of revelation. Above all perhaps the sense that there is now a whole approach by which one no longer relies simply on theoretical discussion and argument but rather uses and creates experiments which make use of the technologies that show areas of brain- activity is central to all this.

I would however put in one small caveat. Elizabeth Spelke was informative and interesting throughout. I especially liked her last comment regarding her wish to know about how humans attain abstract thinking. But her ideas on brain- development convergence of men and women are controversial.And I was surprised none of the other panelists even raised a question about this. It seems to me there is a lot of evidence which in fact proves the exact opposite of what she claims. This failure to pick this up made me consider all the programs in this series so far. They are all very collegial, with everyone seeming to be agreeing with everyone else. It seems to me there is something not so alright in this, though it makes for pleasant television. Conflicting approaches and controversy are too part not only of humanistic dialogue but of scientific work. Perhaps however in consideration of the non- professional character of the audience Charlie Rose and Eric Kandel organized for a 'you don't get in my space and I won't get in yours' discussion.

Goodquestion  02/24/2010 04:29 PM Report

Very interesting show. I hope you touch on hormones and the aging brain in the next show on "the aging brain". The link between hormones and human health seems to be lagging in the research world.

Thank you.