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Expand your brain by speaking another language.

5/19/2015

7 Comments

 
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I'm always amazed and envious when I read an article written by a person whose English is their second language. So many people are skilled in not only speaking a second or third language, but writing that way. Some even write poetry in a language that isn't their mother tongue. My hearty congratulations goes to them all.

It seems the benefits of speaking multiple languages extend past just having access to different words, concepts, metaphors, and frames.

After 15 years of research it appears that bilinguals have access to better job prospects, as well as receiving a cognitive boost and protection against dementia. New research shows that they can also view the world in different ways depending on the specific language they are operating in.

For instance, an English-speaking German looks at a picture of a woman outside a shop. In German they would say it was a picture of a woman walking toward the supermarket. They'd say the same thing in English. An English-speaking person would say it's a picture of a woman walking. The German language includes the woman's intent. 

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Going from one language to the other works like brain training, pushing your brain to be flexible. Just as regular exercise gives your body some biological benefits, mentally controlling two or more languages gives your brain cognitive benefits. This mental flexibility pays big dividends especially later in life. The onset of age-related degenerative disorders such as dementia or Alzheimer’s are delayed in bilinguals by up to five years.

One theory on why this might be shows an increased psychological distance when speaking a language that isn’t your mother tongue. Researchers think subjects had less of an emotional reaction to things heard in their second (or third, or fourth) language, perhaps allowing for a more levelheaded decision.

Whatever the reason, speaking a second language helps the brain remain flexible.

I attended classes at school in the 50s, but didn't learn anything but the basics of French and Latin. Too busy fantasizing about my future life—silly girl. I love the sound of spoken French. I wonder if I've left it too late to learn a bit more.

How many languages do you speak?


7 Comments
Alana Mautone link
5/18/2015 08:29:47 pm

I speak one language, and I am ashamed. In what is now called middle school, I took 3 years of Spanish. Almost all of it is forgotten. As an adult, I tried to teach myself French - it didn't work. Now, I am starting to think of (better late than never) participating in a coming of age religious ceremony that would require me to learn to speak (and read!) a degree of Hebrew. I don't know if I am serious but I did talk to someone at a local synagogue about that, and they do have adult education classes for this purpose if I am interested.

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Salma link
5/18/2015 11:35:28 pm

I do speak another language, it's our mother tongue call Gujrati. I've put my son in French Immersion and plan to do the same with my daughter as well. It can never be a bad thing to know another language :)

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Nick #thisyearinmusic link
5/19/2015 12:52:57 am

A friend of mine speaks 7 different languages, Russian and Latin are part that number, she says its easy, once you work out the mouth shapes. As being through the English school system I feel that they should have hammered French, Spanish and German more. But I guess going forward Cantonese will be the big language to learn.

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Joan Harrington link
5/19/2015 01:33:25 am

Great share Francene. As of right now I do not speak another language, maybe someday :)

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Laurel Regan link
5/19/2015 06:30:21 am

I have a beginner's understanding of both French and Italian, but am in no way at all fluent in either. I wish I'd stuck with my studies and spent some time in France and Italy so as to become fluent! Time is marching on, but you never know... maybe some day.

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Shonda link
5/20/2015 12:51:06 am

I have a fondness for languages. Just wish I knew more. English is my first language, but I have a strong command of French. A semi-conversational level of Portuguese and I can understand most Spanish spoken but cannot respond back, in kind. My daughter knows French and a basic level of spanish and Korean. My son is learning Spanish and we are introducing French this summer.

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K.Lee Banks link
5/20/2015 02:03:18 am

I know some French and Spanish, but not enough to be fluent in either, as a result of not continuing to speak it beyond high school and college foreign language classes.

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    Francene Stanley
    From England, I use news items in my novels which you can see below, all linked to an Amazon near you.

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