Is there a limit to avoid having Gloria moments?

Is there a limit as to what an individual can accomplish in life? If so, who sets those limits? Is there an age limit to achieve one's dreams? Or is it a matter of time and effort? These are common questions that come to people’s mind when speaking about language acquisition. Although there have been numerous studies done on this subject, there has yet to be one that shows to be reliable and valid regarding the ideal age to acquire a second language. According to Singleton, most research fail to agree on a predictable termini and on an specific age of onset. Therefore these studies are difficult to replicate.
There has been little investigation on the acquisition of native like pronunciation. Some argue it is a matter of cultural immersion, others say it has to do with brain development and a learning critical period. But the truth is: only people who have walked in those shoes are the ones who can attest whether or not it is possible to acquire a second language at any age.

The study of second language acquisition not only encompasses speaking and comprehension, it also involves pronunciation and vocabulary. As the following video shows, there are some who might comprehend a second language but might not be able to acquire a high level of pronunciation proficiency.

The role of Gloria in modern family is somehow a parody of the stereotype of Latin women in America. However, myself and many other adults who learned English during their adult lives would agree to have had some "Gloria moments". These moments are part of the experience of learning a second language, but unfortunately it has not being fully studied  whether or not there is a critical period in which a person can avoid having these moments. It is difficult  for adult learners to acquire a native like accent. But according to Birdsong, adult learners are capable of learning a second language after post-pubertal years, and that while not all learners can attain a native like accent, there are some who can.

The most difficult part of learning and acquiring a new language is pronunciation. For example, being able to differentiate words that might sound similar but are indeed very different. In the video Gloria believes people understand the distinction

she makes between the word look from the name Luke. Small but important mistakes like that one, is what get some people think there is a strong correlation between comprehension and pronunciation. 

When watching videos of interviews of Sofia Vergara, it is noticeable that indeed she has a thick accent behind cameras. However, she is still a successful businesswoman and a Hollywood actress. Therefore, we can deny the existence of a strong correlation between pronunciation and comprehension. Vergara is an example of an adult learner. Therefore we might reword the question about limits and acquisition. Is there a limit to acquire pronunciation? or are we all adult learners set to have our Gloria moments?

Birdsong, David. "Ultimate Attainment In Second Language Acquisition." Language: Journal Of The Linguistic Society Of America 68.4 (1992): 706-755

Singleton, David. "The Critical Period Hypothesis: A Coat Of Many Colours." International Review Of Applied Linguistics In Language Teaching 43.4 (2005): 269-285