14 years
What about "quadlinguals" :D
I have no clue whether my mind would work differently if I did not know other languages. But yes, it does feel good to know several languages :) Brain functionality? What is that? :)
The advantages of being bilingual
Travel Talk
An interesting study about the cognitive benefits of being bilingual:
Bilingualism Associated With Brain Reorganization Involving Better Efficiency in Executive Functions, Research Finds
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100707065139.htm
The research group of Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging at the Universitat Jaume I of Castellón, led by Professor of Basic Psychology, César Ávila Rivera, has reported that bilinguals are faster and more efficient in certain tasks in which executive functions are used due to a different form of cerebral control.
"Findings are very important because they show an unknown aspect of bilingualism, which goes beyond linguistic advantages, and they also show bilinguals are more effective in responding to certain stimuli," explains researcher Cesar Avila, who ensures the research shows that bilingualism does not only have effects on the brain at a linguistic level, but that it also works differently, emphasizing the importance of introducing languages at an early age because it generates cognitive benefits.
How many languages do you speak? Do you think it helps you with brain function?
- Comments
14 years
Knowing any other language besides your mother tongue is at least a way to look at the world in a different point of view.
My mother tongue is Portuguese. I learned English a few years ago and it changed my life and life's outlook. Not only job-wise.
I can know understand different ideas, even from the simple things like what's an apple-bee :)
And even though Portuguese and English look so different, in the end the languages are created to express the same feelings (like the one that wives/girlfriends rule us :D )
And it's perfect for traveling. When you can communicate with the locals (even short sentences) your trip is 500% better. I only wish I had learned a bit of Hindi before traveling to India...
14 years
Like CrazyBackofficeAnimal I also speak four languages, but I can't say that I feel any faster or more efficient in any of my tasks than the monolinguals around me.
14 years
You’re very welcome! And thank YOU for being our subject. Now we need someone with less than four languages to speak up so we can see if there is a difference in the speed and efficiency with which we make Gordo feel retarded.
14 years
hehehehe, it's quite rare to find somebody looking to learn new languages outside the traveler types, *especially* for those who already have English as their mother tongue. I have even heard some jokes like:
what's a person who speaks 3 languages? trilingual
What's a person who speaks 2 languages? bilingual
What's a person who speaks just 1 language? American
LOL
I was always impressed with the Swiss folks, every Swiss dude speaks a minimun of 5 languages...
14 years
What's a person who speaks just 1 language? American
True - but it's not just the Americans. I find that English speaking countries in general are poor at teaching languages.
We have an easy out - so much of the rest of the world is learning what we speak. But it's our own sad loss.
I envy the Finns, who learn something like 7 languages before graduating school (correct me if anyone knows better).
I can converse in 4, but don't get anywhere near the practice I'd like.
Related Pages
Log in to join discussion