How does Bilinguism Affect Us?
Do you speak two languages fluently? Do you use both everyday or almost everyday? If the answer to those questions is yes, then you are classified as bilingual. Around 40–55% of the world today speaks two languages, meaning around 3.5- 4 billion people across the globe. But are these people more intelligent than monolinguals? And is this skill even relevant in an AI- driven, fast-paced world? Those are the many questions I aim to answer through this series of blogs. This includes how bilinguism affects the brain, how it affects cognitive devolopment in kids, countries with the most bilinguals, among many others. The first of this series explores the benefits of speaking two languages and it’s physchological, social and cognitive benefits.
Cognitive Effects
One of the most significant findings of the benefits of bilinguism is how it delays diseases like Alzheimers and Dementia. It has a role in building cognitive reserve. Although this skill cannot prevent neurodegenerative pathology, it changes how the brain handles the damage. Studies have shown that clinical symptoms of Alzheimers disease are found 4.5 years earlier in monolinguals than bilinguals. This is because when the brain is always managing two languages, it build more neural pathways, or cognitive reserve. On average, even when a bilingual person has severe damage from Alzheimers they can still think and function normally because their brain is naturally trained to look for more ways to get jobs done.
People who are bilingual can often learn languages faster than monolinguals. In studies that measured brain waves, bilinguals that were taught made-up, brand-new languages had the P600 brainwave pattern (meaning native-like processing of the language) at the end of the first day. In contrast, when taught the same artificial langauge, monolinguals took a week to display identical brainwaves.
Physchological Effects:
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.”- Nelson Mandela
Bilinguism does not only have an impact on the brain cognitively. It is also relevant to our mental, social and emotional health. When you use two languages, the brain switches how it processes information. It’s called the foreign language effect. When a moral dilemma or a life and death issue is presented to a bilingual in two languages, the answers will be different. For example, if someone was told in their native langauge that they had to sacrifice one stranger to save 5 others, they would make more emotional decisions, because it is tied to childhood and family memories or their original birthplace. When the same dilemma is presented in their non-native langauge, no matter how fluent they may be in it, they are more likely to make decisions based on logic and analysis. Another example is that when people read alarming findings, thoughts or facts in their second language, they experience less automatic fear and anxiety. Although this may not apply to everyone, especially speakers who have been speaking bilingually since birth or even before starting school, this phenomenon is a natural instinct in most.
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Social Effects:
Bilingual people often understand other people’s cultures faster, because speaking two languages opens windows into multiple worlds and cultures since the very beginning. They are also more flexible socially, that is not to say monolinguals are, research suggests that bilinguals often adapt quicker to new environments socially. Bilinguals also often have excellent communication skills, as they pick up on small cultural nuances more easily making them highly effective negotiators and team managers, especially in diverse workplaces.The cognitive habit of switching languages often trains their brains to filter out distarctions which helps with better and logical decision-making associated with complex projects.
Overall, bilinguals cognitive abilities greatly enhance their clarity in communication, delay diseases like Alzheimers and enhance brain function and neurological pathways. To dive deeper into the science, data and interesting theories on bilinguals, read my next blog on countries with the most bilingual speakers and how it impacts the country’s education and economy.
