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the claim
The critical period for language acquisition ends at puberty
the verdict
SUPPORTED
the evidence backs this
refutedsupported
the weight of evidence
18 sources for · 0 against

While the classic Critical Period Hypothesis formulated by Eric Lenneberg states that the critical period for language acquisition ends at puberty, modern linguistic research and alternative studies contest this by highlighting exceptions in second language ultimate attainment, differing timelines for first-language syntax acquisition, and ongoing debates over sensitive versus critical periods.

Evidence for · 18
Effect of Age in Second Language Acquisition: A Critical Review from the Perspective of Critical Period Hypothesis and Ultimate Attainment
2017 · cited by 13
Reviews the effect of age in Second Language Acquisition and the Critical Period Hypothesis.
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The analysis

Judged against the evidence record for claims of this kind.

More for · 17
Beyond age: exploring ultimate attainment in heritage speakers and late L2 learners
2024 · cited by 11
Notes the CPH view that successful language learning is optimal during early childhood.
The effects of Age of Acquisition on an L2 learner’s Ultimate Attainment
2020 · cited by 1
Discusses theories toward age effects, noting the CPH claim of loss of language learning ability after puberty.
Wikipedia: Critical period hypothesis
cited by 0
Reference article covering this claim directly
Book: The Acquisition of Prosodic Structure in a Second Language
2011 · cited by 0
Notes Lenneberg's proposal that the onset of puberty marks the end of the critical period for language.
Book: Child Development
2002 · cited by 0
States that puberty (beginning of adolescence) was thought to be a critical period for language acquisition.
Newbury House Publishers, Inc.: Child-Adult Differences in Second Language Acquisition
1982 · cited by 0
References studies on the critical period for language acquisition.
Blackwell Pub.: The handbook of bilingualism
2004 · cited by 0
Mentions the existence of a critical period for language development.
Brown & Benchmark Publishers: Child development
1996 · cited by 0
Explicitly states Lenneberg argued that a critical period for language acquisition ends at puberty.
Brooks/Cole: Life-span human development
1999 · cited by 0
Discusses the sensitive/critical period for language acquisition and when it ends.
Brown & Benchmark Publishers: Psychology : contexts of behavior
1996 · cited by 0
Repeats that Lenneberg argued a critical period for language acquisition ends at puberty.
MIT Press: The MIT encyclopedia of communication disorders
2004 · cited by 0
Discusses developmental periods for speech sound acquisition.
OpenAIRE: The evolution of the critical period for language acquisition
1991 · cited by 0
States evidence and evolutionary models suggest a critical period for language acquisition ending around puberty.
OpenAIRE: The Critical Period Hypothesis of Second Language Acquisition Theory of Eric Lenneberg's
2022 · cited by 0
Notes the Critical Period Hypothesis holds that the time to learn a language with native proficiency ends just before puberty.
OpenAIRE: The Critical Period Hypothesis of SLA Eric Lenneberg's
2022 · cited by 0
States the Critical Period Hypothesis holds that the critical time period ends just before puberty.
OpenAIRE: Can the critical period be saved? A bilingual perspective
2018 · cited by 0
States there is a critical period for language acquisition that ends sometime around puberty.
OpenAIRE: Authentic Input in Early Second Language Learning
2008 · cited by 0
Cites Lenneberg (1967) proposing that the critical period for foreign language acquisition ends when the acquirer reaches puberty.
Birth of a Language in the Backlands of Brazil.
2025 · cited by 0
States it is assumed children must be exposed to language during the critical period, which generally lasts until puberty.
Everything we examined (22)
  1. Wikipedia: Critical period hypothesisreferencesupports
  2. Wikipedia: Language acquisitionreferenceno side takennot shown: read and judged not to bear on this claim
  3. Book: The Acquisition of Prosodic Structure in a Second Languagereferencesupports
  4. Book: A Mind for Languagereferencesupportsnot shown: read and judged not to bear on this claim
  5. Book: Child Developmentreferencesupports
  6. Newbury House Publishers, Inc.: Child-Adult Differences in Second Language Acquisitionreferencesupports
  7. Blackwell Pub.: The handbook of bilingualismreferencesupports
  8. Brown & Benchmark Publishers: Child developmentreferencesupports
  9. Brooks/Cole: Life-span human developmentreferencesupports
  10. Brown & Benchmark Publishers: Psychology : contexts of behaviorreferencesupports
  11. MIT Press: The MIT encyclopedia of communication disordersreferencesupports
  12. OpenAIRE: Critical period for first language: the crucial role of language input during the first year of lifepeer-reviewedno side takennot shown: took no side on this claim
  13. OpenAIRE: The evolution of the critical period for language acquisitionpeer-reviewedsupports
  14. OpenAIRE: The Critical Period Hypothesis of Second Language Acquisition Theory of Eric Lenneberg'speer-reviewedsupports
  15. OpenAIRE: The Critical Period Hypothesis of SLA Eric Lenneberg'speer-reviewedsupports
  16. OpenAIRE: Can the critical period be saved? A bilingual perspectivepeer-reviewedsupports
  17. OpenAIRE: Authentic Input in Early Second Language Learningpeer-reviewedsupports
  18. Age of acquisition effects or effects of bilingualism in second language ultimate attainment?peer-reviewedno side takennot shown: took no side on this claim
  19. Effect of Age in Second Language Acquisition: A Critical Review from the Perspective of Critical Period Hypothesis and Ultimate Attainmentpeer-reviewedsupports
  20. Beyond age: exploring ultimate attainment in heritage speakers and late L2 learnerspeer-reviewedsupports
  21. The effects of Age of Acquisition on an L2 learner’s Ultimate Attainmentpeer-reviewedsupports
  22. Birth of a Language in the Backlands of Brazil.peer-reviewedsupports
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first checked05 Aug 2026
judged → SUPPORTED · 8205 Aug 2026
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