Parabéns! Thank you for this excellent article. I first learned French at home in the US, since it was a big family in one house with all the adults speaking French. When I began school, my parents realized I didn't speak English (ô là !) so they sent me to a school run by French nuns. Learning English wasn't traumatic, and in 7th grade I started learning German. In high school I studied Latin, which was very useful especially later with Russian, German, ancient Greek, ancient Hebrew, and Sei! Portuguese, because of the roots but also the grammar.

Also, my father was organist in a Portuguese church, so every Sunday I heard sermons in Portuguese (with an Azorean accent). French was helpful for Spanish because of the predominance of the subjunctive.

I also passed the French baccalauréat, and moved there several times back and forth for studies and work.

My work took me back to France where I now live, and I had to travel constantly, including to your wonderful country. So I picked up politeness phrases in Mandarin, Arabic,Indonesian, and Farsi.

I just love languages! Each is a unique window on the universe and humanity. I am always advising young parents to raise their children as bilinguals right away. Adding new languages is a lot easier, and from your article, I guess it has to do with the brain's plasticity...