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Are Bilinguals Smarter? 7 Reasons Why You Should Learn a New Language

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Blake Davies
Are Bilinguals Smarter? 7 Reasons Why You Should Learn a New Language

Are bilinguals smarter, the question is now. The number of linguists, neurologists and psychologists have been joining their forces in order to find the answer to this question. Hence, there are many scientific studies that attempt to provide the evidence for this theory. Taking them into consideration as well as many social benefits, we present 7 reasons why you should learn a new language.

1. Language as a brain medicine

The studies reports reveal that foreign language learning affects memory. Apparently, bilinguals happen to be better at recalling information such as telephone numbers or shopping lists. Language is a mechanism with a specific way of operating. It’s a system in which every component plays its part. When you learn a new language, you train your brain by absorbing all these elements and their relations. In the long-term period, the memory improvement effect of foreign language learning prevents dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

2. Multitasking at its finest

Since speaking two or more languages includes constant shifting from one language system to another, the studies have proven that people who speak more languages tend to master multitasking. The need to notice differences between the systems and use them accordingly improves their ability to pay attention. It helps them distinguish tasks and thus accomplish them simultaneously.

3. Broaden your horizons

It is known that languages developed, among other things, according to the living destinations and their surroundings of people whose culture its part of. For example, each culture has only one word for ‘snow’ except Eskimo. They have 15 as they recognize 15 varieties of ice and snow as separated notions. This gives us a sight on the fact that language determines the point of view, the way we comprehend things that surround us. The more languages you speak, the more perspectives on the world you have.

4. Put yourself in other people’s shoes

In addition to the previous points, multilinguals are better at understanding other people’s opinions and emotions. The studies suggest that people react differently when they switch the language of speech. It means that language is a part of both cultural and personal identity. Furthermore, another research shows that bilingualism leads to sensitivity to sociolinguistic interactions. Just like bilinguals can preserve the world in a different way, they can also put themselves in other people’s shoes and understand the reasons for their acts or feelings.

5. Better education and employment

Being a bilingual is not beneficial exclusively from the scientific point of view. It represents an advantage when it comes to education and employment. However, for those who migrate to other countries in pursuit of them, the knowledge of target country’s language is fundamental. In that case applying for one of the language schools that, for example, provide international students with the excellent basis for further education would be either useful or obligatory. One of such is definitely SCE. What is more, in their multicultural surroundings people can find new friends and contacts.

6. Expand your common knowledge

New language learning isn’t just understanding grammar and memorizing vocabulary. It also encompasses getting familiar with its culture. It implies learning about history, art, geography, literature, social norms, etc. Knowing these cultural aspects, you might wish to investigate more interesting facts. And this leads us to the next reason why you should learn a new language.

7. Learn your mother tongue

When you learn a new language, you pay attention to grammar, vocabulary, syntax in order to understand its functioning. In the same way, you start noticing elements of your own language - why the certain word has that meaning, why the sentence is put in that order, whether it can be changed, etc. Consequently, it extends your vocabulary and affects your style of speech.

Conclusion

It doesn’t matter whether you acquired or learned a new language at some point in life, all these facts can be favorable to you to a certain extent. Eventually, foreign language learning encourages cognitive competence, since it changes the brain performance. So, in case you consider that these reasons why you should learn a new language make us smarter, then the answer to the question is clear. In case you don’t, try learning a new language and make an experiment on yourself.

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Blake Davies
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