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Article published In:
Language, Interaction and Acquisition
Vol. 12:2 (2021) ► pp.284–305

Language aptitude, language interaction and age of language learning

One researcher’s recent perspective

| Trinity College Dublin
| Dublin City University

This article reviews David Singleton’s books and articles published during the period 2014–2020. The first section concerns a popular book which he co-authored with Vivian Cook; the second gives an account of articles covering questions about the concept of language aptitude; the third deals with articles on the manner in which a learner’s competencies in different languages interact; the fourth section then summarizes his recent age-related work on second language learning in childhood, adolescence and midlife; and the fifth deals with his contributions on language learning in senior adulthood.

Keywords: aptitude, interaction, age, childhood, adolescence, midlife, senior adulthood
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.All kinds of everything – not quite
  • 3.On language aptitude
  • 4.On interlingual influence/interaction
  • 5.On the age factor in second language learning in childhood, adolescence and midlife
  • 6.On the age factor in second language learning in the third age
  • 7.Conclusion
  • References
Published online: 31 January 2022
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/lia.21013.sin
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