How many languages can you learn at the same time? – Ghanaian babies grow up and speak two to six languages
Africa is a multilingual continent where many adults speak several languages fluently. Potsdam psycholinguists Natalie Boll-Avetisyan and Paul O.
In Ghana, most babies grow up in a variety of ways, and most babies come into contact with many ordinary speakers in two to six languages, as well as in each language. The researchers also showed that babies mostly hear some languages indirectly, i.e., via radio, television, or background conversations—while others are communicated directly by their caregivers. The results of the study have now been published in the journal Cognitive Development.
The study examined 121 babies in Accra, the capital of Ghana, and showed extraordinary language input in the early months of life. Children are often exposed to two to six languages. Surprisingly, the number of caregivers for children also ranges from two to six, and in daily life more adult babies tend to take care of them and hear more different languages. In Ghana, families often live in so-called “composite buildings” where many daily interactions occur, occur in the yard, and families, neighbors and other relatives play an important role in children’s lives.
“As often assumed in Western culture, the idea that children learn a specific language from a single caregiver does not apply to these communities. Instead, children are surrounded by a range of language inputs from the beginning.” Paul O., the first author of the study, “Most of the research on children’s language acquisition was conducted in industrialized countries in the West, which is why they often focus on rather narrow concepts of multilingualism. Our research shows that other societies exhibit a more dynamic multilingual environment,” added Professor Natalie Boll-Avetisyan, the study’s lead researcher.
The key findings of this study are the differences between direct language input and indirect language input. While English is mainly obtained through indirect channels such as television and official communication, children obtain most local languages through most local languages that are directly in contact with caregivers, such as Akan, Ga and Ewe. Therefore, the proportion of direct input in the local language is higher than that in English, which is mainly indirect input.
The importance of direct language contact for language acquisition is usually emphasized. “Our results show that indirect opinions, especially through media and official communication, also play a crucial role in children’s daily lives, especially in urban environments. ”
Because of their empirical research, researchers call for a broader perspective on language research. Common assumptions cannot reflect the diversity and complexity found in other cultural contexts such as Ghana. The study clearly shows that this is not only the number of languages children hear, but also the diversity and different forms of input have a decisive impact on language acquisition. “Our research shows that for many children, a multilingual environment becomes a vibrant, dynamic reality from the outset. Multilingual is not only a reward, but a fundamental component of the child’s identity and social structure,” the researchers said.
Research on the Internet:
Omane, PO, Benders, T. and Boll-avetisyan, N. (2025). Explore the nature of infant input in multiple caregivers’ families in African cities: Accra (Ghana). Cognitive development. In printing. doi:
