Posted on 06/05/2014 4:43:02 AM PDT by don-o
When US soldier Bowe Bergdahl was released after being held captive by the Afghan Taliban for five years, his father said his son was “having trouble speaking English”. Many will find this statement incredible: is it really possible to forget your native language?
The answer depends on many factors. The first is what we mean by “forgetting”. Would it, for example, be possible for a mother tongue to be completely forgotten, so that a person cannot understand, or even recognise it anymore? The answer is yes, but only if she or he lost contact with that language before puberty.
Studies of international adoptees show that they very rapidly and completely forget their mother tongue, even if they are as old as eight years at the time that they are adopted. As adults, they may no longer be able to recognise the simplest words of the language they had first learned, and if they try to learn it again, they have few, if any advantages, over novice learners.
But those who are older than 12 years old when contact with their native tongue is interrupted will probably retain at least some proficiency for the rest of their lives. They will not only be able to communicate in this language and understand most of it, it will also be much easier for them to learn it again later on. They may have some problems accessing the correct words, they may become somewhat less fluent, and they may develop a foreign accent, but none of these will seriously impair their functioning in that language.
This is good news for Bergdahl and his family. Any problems that he may currently have, for example, remembering some English words, speaking with a foreign accent or making grammatical mistakes, are likely to be temporary, and to disappear quickly – probably within weeks. Limited usage
What other factors, then, might have caused these problems? While held in captivity, Bergdahl probably had very little occasion to speak or hear English. But how frequently someone uses their language plays a far smaller role for the maintenance of this language than one might think. Several studies have attempted to probe this, and all have found a complete absence of any correlation between frequency of use and degree of language loss.
These findings may appear counter intuitive, but they suggest that, for adult speakers, the native language has become so deeply entrenched and so frequently rehearsed, that it will remain active in memory despite the fact that it is hardly used at all, sometimes for decades. Pashto pushing out English
On the other hand, many people will know the phenomenon that when they try to learn a new language, other languages (their native language, or other foreign languages) will keep “butting in”. When trying to focus on the new language, the language learner will therefore have to repress or inhibit this knowledge very strongly, and once this has been done for any length of time, it can then become harder to switch back to the language that has been so actively inhibited.
If Bergdahl made a very strong effort to learn Pashto, and if he was encouraged or even forced by his captors not to use English, that may therefore now account for some of the troubles he is having. Again, any such problems are like to be temporary and vanish within, at most, a few weeks’ time.
Traumatic experiences may also be a factor when it comes to forgetting or suppressing a language. In the absence of information about what happened during Bergdahl’s captivity, we can only speculate on this, but it does seem a strong possibility that this may have played a part. In this event, it would probably be necessary to address the trauma itself, and not the linguistic problems that it might have caused.
It’s impossible for him to forget English. And he spoke it just fine on propaganda tapes released not too long ago.
Bingo. He’s ‘playing possum.’
Real brave of him, huh?
If he had forgotten his Native tongue, then he would have forgotten his entire life, including his own name and the existence of his parents.
If he’s claiming he can’t communicate in English then he is the biggest liar since Obama.
He forgot how to speak english like he forgot how to walk!
Maybe they can teach it to him again at Levenworth.
1. Maybe the “difficulty” simply means a hatred for the USA and, hence, the USA’s principal language. “I hate the USA so much, HMPF, I just ‘have difficulty’ forcing myself to speak American.”
2. (If and only if he is guilty of desertion or worse,) I wonder if the treatment for his “difficulty” just might be a West Texas Ass Kicking.
I tend to believe that to fully understand how he “forgot” his native tongue, you would actually need to speak to his publicity agent and/or manager.
I call bravo sierra on this claim. I spoke primarily German when I started 1st grade. I can still speak German to the point of communication after speaking English for the past 55+ years.
There are a lot of people in our church who still speak German on a regular basis, even though they have spoken English most of their life. I think he is using this as a crutch.
Berfdahl is not speaking English AND likely denying his father is his father. This may be why the father has made a point to say “I am your father”.
Berdahl checked out on America five years ago.
My personal experience with learning conversational French via Berlitz some 40 years ago is:
I never was very good at French.
I can still come up with the phases to Shop, Eat, Drink, Travel. Which is about all I ever could do.
I have not lost my abilities to converse - even though I haven’t used the language in 30 years.
My experience would suggest Bowe’s comments re: English are BS.
NO...........He wasn’t 2 when he joined the enemy.
Bet he already has a rug and is being served a Halal menu.
People should read the stories of children taken by indians in the old American west. Any claim that he has forgotten english is patently absurd unless he has down syndrome. And I do not believe that is the case.
(My wife is half Filapina. I hope that you are also enjoying some amazing adobo and pansit! :) )
Has anyone hypothesized that Bergdahl’s captors/companions allowed his father to communicate with him but only in the Pashto language? That’s the context in which the father 1) learned the language and 2) assumes that his son doesn’t speak English fluently. This also leads to the conclusion that there were back-channel communications by the father to instigate this exchange.-mason-dixon
Having difficulty speaking his native language does not mean he forgot it.
Given the context of the Bergdahl situation, as described above by mason-dixon, perhaps the difficulty in speaking his native tongue is self imposed to protect those he has been involved with - i.e.
Recall also, his dad, Bob Bergdahl's public comments :
"Bob Bergdahl urged Bowe to trust his military reintegration team.
Directing Bowe to "trust" his reintegration team suggests these individuals are fluent in the language Bowe is currently comfortable communicating or the members of this team have been specifically selected and are familiar with the sensitivity of any issues Bowe/his family/this administration would like to keep off the record.
Alternately, these team members may be hired contractors from the area, and will provide the translations which suit their agenda to protect themselves & Bowe's interests.
Is there a possibility that this reintegration team prioritizes American interests? With this administration's history, serious doubts reign.
Seems there more to be disclosd that either protect Bowe, his family, &/or members of this administration from negative scrutiny.
Has Barry forgotten how to speak in bahasa lisan?
I expect that he is being debriefed as to what to say in public as to not embarrass dear leader.
Daddy just wanted to spit in the face of America on worldwide TV. Let them both move to Pakeeestan if it is so great.
Pray America wakes up
If you speak a new language long enough, you will start thinking in that language and eventually even dream in the new language.
and especially lumpia !!
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