Becoming fluent in a second language is difficult. But for adults, is it impossible? Short Wave hosts Maddie Sofia and Emily Kwong dissect the "critical period hypothesis," a theory which linguists have been debating for decades ā with the help of Sarah Frances Phillips, a Ph.D. student in the linguistics department at New York University. You can watch a related video about Emily learning Mandarin here. It's part of the Where We Come From series.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
No persons identified in this episode.
This episode hasn't been transcribed yet
Help us prioritize this episode for transcription by upvoting it.
Popular episodes get transcribed faster
Other episodes from Short Wave
Transcribed and ready to explore now
Parasites Have Haunted Us For Millions Of Years
24 Oct 2025
Short Wave
Migrating Birds Have a Big, Clear Problem
22 Oct 2025
Short Wave
We Have the Cure. Why is Tuberculosis Still Around?
21 Oct 2025
Short Wave
Should Scientists Genetically Engineer Wild Species?
20 Oct 2025
Short Wave
Science Says Quitting Smoking At Any Age Is Good For The Brain
17 Oct 2025
Short Wave
What Happens When You're Under Anesthesia?
15 Oct 2025
Short Wave