In previous article I addressed speaking more than
one language gaining a lot advantages, such as more job opportunities, can talk
to wider range of people and have an easier time on vacation. This time I will
describe my research of multilingual in many different views.
There are also several truths that speaking multiple languages
benefits your brain – whether you grew up multilingual or started learning a
new tongue later in life. Here are some of my favorites.
1.
Speaking multiple languages
helps protect against dementia.
A 2012 study from the University of California, San Diego
evaluated the bilingual proficiency of 44 elderly Spanish-English bilinguals.
They found that the higher your level of proficiency, the later you were likely
to experience Alzheimer’s symptoms.
2.
Health benefits of
multilingualism and bilingualism.
Despite the growth of multilingualism in different parts of the
world, there are controversies on the positive and negative impacts of
bilingualism on the education of children. Studies have brought part of the
answer to frequent questions such as: are bilingual children distressed? Does
multilingualism make children smarter? Defenders of multilingualism assert that
speaking another language contributes to an intelligent and healthy brain whereas
opponents of multilingualism vehemently insist that speaking another language
does not make children smarter and that on the contrary, it can disturb their
learning journey. Researcher Ellen Bialystok examined the effect of
multilingualism on Alzheimer's disease and found that it delays its
onset by about 4 years. The researcher's study found that those who spoke two
or more languages showed symptoms of Alzheimer's disease at a later time than
speakers of a single language. Interestingly, the study found that the more
languages the multilingual knows, the later the onset of Alzheimer's disease.
Multilingualism aids in the building up of cognitive reserves in the brain;
these cognitive reserves force the brain to work harder—they, themselves,
restructure the brain. Multilingualism leads to greater efficiency of use in
the brain, and organizes the brain to be more efficient and conservative in
using energy. More research is required to determine whether learning another
language later in life has the same protective effects; nonetheless, it is
evident from the variety of studies performed on the effects of multilingualism
and bilingualism on the brain, that learning and knowing multiple languages
sets the stage for a cognitive healthy life.
3.
Speaking multiple
languages improves your memory.
It takes a LOT of memory to remember just one language, let
alone two or more. So it’s no surprise that multilingual speakers have a better
working memory than monolingual ones.
4.
Speaking multiple languages
improves your ability to multitask.
Multilingual speakers are used to switching mentally between
tongues. All that practice means they’re also better at multitasking.
5.
Multilingual people process
information more efficiently.
A 2014 study found that multilingual speakers were
“comparatively better at filtering out unnecessary words than monolinguals.”
This also means that multilingual people have greater comprehension than their
monolingual counterparts.
6.
Multilingual people are less
likely to be persuaded.
This doesn’t mean they’re immune to good arguments; rather
they’re “more resistant to conditioning and framing techniques,” according to a
2014 study. This could be because it’s easier to keep psychological distance
from a language when it’s not your mother tongue.
7.
Multilingual people are
creative problem-solvers.
Speaking a language is a creative process, as you use imagery
and create varying forms of syntax. Since multilingual speakers have more
practice at this creative process, Psychology Today says they have an
easier time coming up with creative problem-solving techniques than
monolinguals.
8.
Speaking multiple
languages changes your brain structure.
Did you know that being multilingual literally changes your
brain? One study found that learning a new language increases the neural
connections in your brain, which is crucial to brain health.
9.
Speaking multiple languages
opens your mind.
Just like your body, your brain gets healthier as it gets more
active. When you speak a foreign language, you’re opening yourself up to a
world of possibility that’s not available to monolingual speakers.
Multilingualism lets you talk to more people and interact with different
cultures. All those diverse experiences are great for your brain.
10. Bilingual development and exposure.
Research on bilingual speakers shows that information about both
languages is activated in the brain even when a speaker is only using one
language. Some research shows that, because bilingual speakers access
linguistic information in their brain differently from monolingual speakers,
they have an advantage in language processing, and they outperform monolingual
speakers in reaction times for language processing and then producing relevant
language in certain tasks. However, other studies have found that this may not
be applicable to all bilinguals.
