Multilingual In-Depth

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.