The Secrets of Second Language Acquisition
第二语言习得的秘密
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Research shows that adult learners with cultural and intellectual curiosity tend to learn language quickly and effectively. Although there’s no one-size-fits-all fast track to fluency, committing to daily practice and utilizing powerful and effective language-learning tools can make picking up a new language fast.
研究表明，具有文化和求知欲的成人学习者往往能够快速有效地学习语言。虽然没有一条放之四海而皆准的通往流利语言的捷径，但坚持每天练习并利用强大而有效的语言学习工具，就能快速掌握一门新语言。
The process of learning a second language, sometimes referred to as “second language acquisition” (or SLA for short), is both as rewarding as it can be challenging. There are some important logistical considerations:
学习第二语言的过程，有时也被称为 "第二语言习得"（简称 SLA），既是一个收获颇丰的过程，也是一个充满挑战的过程。有一些重要的后勤考虑因素：
- Which language best suits your goals?
哪种语言最适合您的目标？ - What’s your motivation for learning a new language?
您学习新语言的动机是什么？ - How much time can you spend practicing?
你可以花多少时间练习？ - What learning styles work best for you?
什么学习方式最适合您？
Success in language learning depends a lot on your answers to these, as well as your mindset and the ways in which you approach your learning. The right attitude—combined with research-backed approaches to second language acquisition—can help you unlock your second language in no time.
语言学习的成功在很大程度上取决于你对这些问题的回答，以及你的心态和学习方法。正确的态度，再加上经过研究证明的第二语言学习方法，可以帮助你迅速掌握第二语言。
What is second language acquisition?
什么是第二语言习得？
Second language acquisition (SLA) is not only the process of becoming bilingual, but also its own field of study that investigates the process of learning a new language. SLA embraces diverse disciplines, ranging from linguistics to computer science, psychology, cognitive science, education, and anthropology. By researching these fields of study and gaining insights from their interdisciplinary intersections, Rosetta Stone has been able to design more effective learning materials for language learners of all ages.
第二语言习得（SLA）不仅是成为双语者的过程，也是研究学习新语言过程的自身研究领域。SLA 包含从语言学到计算机科学、心理学、认知科学、教育学和人类学等不同学科。通过对这些研究领域的研究，并从它们的跨学科交叉中获得见解，罗塞塔石碑得以为各个年龄段的语言学习者设计出更有效的学习材料。
How long does second language acquisition typically take?
学习第二语言一般需要多长时间？
While there’s no fast track to fluency and each language has its own unique learning curve, there’s a lot in your control. You can prioritize language learning by committing to daily practice, investing in effective language-learning tools, and discovering your preferred learning styles.
虽然没有通往流利语言的捷径，而且每种语言都有其独特的学习曲线，但很多事情都在您的掌控之中。您可以通过坚持每天练习、投资有效的语言学习工具和发现自己喜欢的学习方式来优先学习语言。
Rosetta Stone’s Your Plan helps keep you on track and motivates you to be consistent so you can reach your goal. Simply input your motivation for learning the language and estimate your current skill level, and we’ll provide a learning plan designed for you and your needs. Depending on your schedule and progress, you could breeze through the first few stages of second language acquisition in a matter of weeks or months.
罗塞塔石碑的 "您的计划 "可以帮助您保持正确的方向，并激励您坚持不懈，从而实现目标。只需输入您学习语言的动机，并估算您当前的语言水平，我们就会根据您的需求为您制定学习计划。根据您的时间安排和学习进度，您可以在几周或几个月内轻松完成第二语言学习的前几个阶段。
What’s the best way to accomplish second language acquisition?
完成第二语言学习的最佳方式是什么？
A key factor in how quickly you’ll gain the confidence to speak a second language is the type of learning method you use. There is some benefit to finding an approach that suits your learning style, but be warned: not all language learning methods or programs are created equal. Quality, research-backed programs like Rosetta Stone tend to yield better results than freebie language learning apps because we employ proven learning strategies to make our lessons and materials convenient, effective, and gratifying all at once. You can even accomplish SLA on the go—get access to our first-rate features such as audio content, Stories, and downloadable lessons on our mobile app.
你能多快获得说第二语言的信心，一个关键因素是你使用的学习方法类型。找到适合自己学习风格的方法有一定好处，但要注意：并非所有的语言学习方法或程序都是一样的。像罗塞塔石碑（Rosetta Stone）这样有研究支持的优质程序往往比免费的语言学习应用程序效果更好，因为我们采用了经过验证的学习策略，使我们的课程和材料既方便、有效，又令人满意。您甚至可以在旅途中完成 SLA--访问我们的一流功能，如音频内容、故事和移动应用程序上的可下载课程。
As mentioned earlier, there’s a mainstream conviction that only children can learn a second language because their young minds are more malleable and receptive than adults are. This idea is largely responsible for the abundance of bi- and multilingual early education programs and the increasingly high demand for au pairs or caretakers who can teach young children foreign languages.
如前所述，有一种主流观念认为，只有儿童才能学习第二语言，因为他们幼小的心灵比成人更具可塑性和接受能力。这种观念在很大程度上导致了双语和多语早期教育项目的大量出现，以及对能教幼儿外语的互惠生或保育员的需求越来越高。
However, research indicates that a youthful mind isn’t the full story behind second language acquisition—great news for adult language learners like you!
然而，研究表明，年轻的心智并不是第二语言习得背后的全部--这对像你这样的成年语言学习者来说是个好消息！
Instead of just envying children’s capacity to absorb new languages like a sponge, let’s look to them for three key insights into how to learn a language at any age.
与其羡慕孩子们像海绵一样吸收新语言的能力，不如让我们从他们身上汲取三条重要经验，了解如何在任何年龄段学习语言。
1. Get immersed 1.沉浸其中
First, we can infer from the way children learn a language that exposure to language in an immersive environment plays a key role in language acquisition. Immersive environments are defined as situations in which the target language is in use constantly and consistently by fluent speakers, regardless of whether the learner fully comprehends what is being communicated. Most children spend years absorbing language in an immersive environment, namely their homes and early educational settings, before they ever speak aloud.
首先，我们可以从儿童学习语言的方式推断出，在身临其境的环境中接触语言对语言习得起着关键作用。沉浸式环境的定义是，目标语言被讲流利语言的人持续不断地使用，无论学习者是否完全理解所交流的内容。大多数儿童在大声说话之前，要花费数年时间在沉浸式环境（即家庭和早期教育环境）中吸收语言。
Despite the benefits of immersive environments, you probably shouldn’t perfectly replicate what babies and toddlers do, that is, sitting in silence with the hopes of passively absorbing your target language through osmosis. However, we can learn important lessons from young children in immersive environments: adult language learners should be patient with ourselves and recognize that partial—not perfect—comprehension in immersive environments can do wonders for our second language acquisition.
尽管沉浸式环境有很多好处，但你也许不应该完全照搬婴幼儿的做法，即静静地坐着，希望通过渗透被动地吸收目标语言。不过，我们可以从身临其境环境中的幼儿身上学到重要的一课：成年语言学习者应该对自己有耐心，并认识到身临其境环境中的部分理解而非完美理解可以为我们的第二语言习得创造奇迹。
Fortunately for adult language learners, dynamic immersive environments that promote language learning can take many forms. You don’t have to live under the same roof or attend school with speakers of your target language, and even traveling abroad isn’t necessary. Instead, you can lose yourself in literature, closely watch films and TV, and take our Audio Companion on the go to listen to native speakers of your second language.
幸运的是，对于成人语言学习者来说，促进语言学习的动态沉浸式环境可以有多种形式。您不必与讲目标语言的人生活在同一屋檐下或一起上学，甚至出国旅行也不是必须的。相反，您可以沉浸在文学作品中，仔细观看电影和电视，还可以随身携带我们的音频伴侣，聆听以第二语言为母语的人讲课。
2. Have the mindset of a learner
2.拥有学习者的心态
When you observe children, especially toddlers, it’s apparent that they’re super comfortable assuming the role of learner. They consistently employ an open-ended, curious approach when tackling new tasks, without fear of failure. Whether they’re climbing the stairs, opening cupboards, or speaking their first sentences, stumbles don’t equal setbacks.
当你观察儿童，尤其是学步儿童时，会发现他们非常乐于扮演学习者的角色。在处理新任务时，他们总是采用开放式的、好奇的方法，而不怕失败。无论是爬楼梯、开橱柜，还是说第一句话，磕磕绊绊并不等于挫折。
To expand on the example of speaking sentences, children may not even notice their glaring errors; likely, they’re probably uninterested in a language’s web of grammatical rules in general. This is the case because, simply put, complex grammar rules aren’t usually necessary for getting their point across to those around them. An example of kids’ erroneous, but fully intelligible, grammar is when they say “brang” when they mean to say “brought”— adorable and ultimately not incorrect enough to impede communication.
以说句子为例，孩子们可能根本不会注意到他们明显的错误；很可能，他们对一种语言的语法规则网根本不感兴趣。这是因为，简单地说，复杂的语法规则通常并不是向周围的人表达自己的观点所必需的。孩子们语法错误但完全可以理解的一个例子是，他们把 "brang "说成 "brought"--这很可爱，而且最终也没有错误到妨碍交流的程度。
Adults’ grammar errs in subtler ways, and such small errors hardly ever thwart successful communication. For example, when’s the last time you couldn’t articulate yourself to your family, friends, or coworkers because you were fretting over misplaced modifiers, split infinitives, or prepositions placed improperly in a sentence? Hopefully, the answer is never, and the answer will be the same when speaking your second language, too.
成年人的语法错误更为隐蔽，而这些小错误几乎不会妨碍成功的交流。例如，你上一次因为修饰词放错位置、不定式拆分或介词在句子中位置不当而无法向家人、朋友或同事表达自己的意思是什么时候？希望答案是 "从来没有"，而且在说第二语言时也是如此。
At the end of the day, children teach us that an open-ended and relentlessly curious attitude toward learning may lead to imperfect communication, but it brings us closer to second language acquisition faster than adultish perfectionism ever could. Rosetta Stone appreciates this approach to second language acquisition, employing it to help you communicate in your second language with confidence immediately, not after you slog through boring vocabulary lists and memorize grammar rules and their exceptions.
归根结底，孩子们告诉我们，开放式和不懈好奇的学习态度可能会导致不完美的交流，但它比成人式的完美主义更能让我们更快地掌握第二语言。罗塞塔石碑非常欣赏这种学习第二语言的方法，它能帮助你立即自信地用第二语言进行交流，而不是在你苦读枯燥的词汇表、背诵语法规则及其例外规则之后。
3. Know your motivation
3.了解自己的动机
Another important insight that we can learn from children is that they are motivated to speak because language is their key to engage with others and interact with the world around them. Ask yourself why you’re motivated to learn a second language—are you aspiring to communicate with loved ones, or are you hoping to enrich your cross-cultural experiences around the world? Keeping your motivation in mind will propel you to successful second language acquisition in the same way that it propels children to first language acquisition.
我们可以从孩子身上学到的另一个重要启示是，他们之所以有说话的动力，是因为语言是他们与他人接触、与周围世界互动的关键。问问自己，为什么你有学习第二语言的动机--你是渴望与亲人交流，还是希望丰富你在世界各地的跨文化经历？牢记自己的动机，就能像推动儿童学习第一语言一样，推动你成功地学习第二语言。
In fact, research has shown that a conclusive factor in the success of second language acquisition is such cultural motivation, or what researchers have called “acculturation and cultural openness.” Adults with daily exposure to their second language and the right language learning mindset can succeed just as much as younger learners do.
事实上，研究表明，第二语言学习成功的一个决定性因素就是这种文化动机，或者研究人员称之为 "文化适应性和文化开放性"。每天接触第二语言并拥有正确的语言学习心态的成年人和年轻的学习者一样，都能取得成功。
Don’t just take our word for it: read about these polyglots who embody the idea that cultural openness—coupled with consistent exposure to their target languages—matters more than age for successfully acquiring a second or third language.
不要只听我们的一面之词：读一读这些多语言者的故事，他们体现了这样一种理念：要成功掌握第二或第三种语言，文化的开放性加上对目标语言的持续接触比年龄更重要。
Second language acquisition is worth it
第二语言学习是值得的
It can be a challenging endeavor that requires consistent commitment, but learning a second language is worth it. It’s not just about the leg up it’ll give you on your résumé or the conversations you’ll have with locals on your next trip overseas. It’s also about the opportunity to connect with others across diverse cultures, become a more engaged citizen of the world, and even improve your cognition and expand your mind in the process.
学习第二语言是一项具有挑战性的工作，需要坚持不懈的努力，但学习第二语言是值得的。这不仅仅是为了让你在简历上更有优势，也不仅仅是为了让你在下次出国旅行时能与当地人交谈。它还能让你有机会与不同文化背景的人建立联系，成为一个更有参与感的世界公民，甚至在这个过程中提高你的认知能力，拓展你的思维。
There are a few reasons Rosetta Stone should be your first choice as you begin the process of second language acquisition. First and foremost, Rosetta Stone developed the Dynamic Immersion® method by observing and analyzing the ways in which children learn languages. We’ve replicated these strategies and learning environments and have integrated them throughout all our program.
在您开始第二语言学习的过程中，罗塞塔石碑之所以成为您的首选，有几个原因。首先，罗塞塔石碑通过观察和分析儿童学习语言的方式，开发了动态沉浸式® 方法。我们复制了这些策略和学习环境，并将其融入到我们所有的课程中。
Secondly, Rosetta Stone knows how fast-paced and on-the-go life can be, so our app is designed to enable maximal exposure to a second language at your convenience. Whether you’re listening to lessons during your commute or trying out vocabulary scavenger hunts on your lunch break, you can learn and immerse yourself at any moment of the day.
其次，罗塞塔石碑深知快节奏和随身携带的生活方式，因此我们的应用程序旨在让您在方便的时候最大限度地接触第二语言。无论您是在上下班途中聆听课程，还是在午休时间尝试词汇寻宝游戏，您都可以在一天中的任何时刻学习并沉浸其中。
Last but not least, Rosetta Stone encourages speaking from the very first lesson by sidestepping memorization and rule-following, instead getting to the heart of real-world conversations. With Rosetta Stone by your side and at your fingertips, you’ll find yourself learning and speaking the language, not just the words, and that distinction makes all the difference.
最后但并非最不重要的一点是，罗塞塔石碑从第一课开始就鼓励口语，避免死记硬背和循规蹈矩，而是直击真实世界对话的核心。有了罗塞塔石碑语言学习软件的帮助，你会发现自己学习的是语言，而不仅仅是单词。