Les bilingues sont-ils smarter? By Maya Nauphal
In our increasingly globalized and interconnected world, we somehow deem it unnatural to speak only one language. It has become second nature to assume that people can understand if not speak at least a second language. Needless to say that there are many practical benefits that come with speaking many languages, especially when traveling around the world or looking for a job. But recent studies have shown that being bilingual actually makes you smarter. How convenient for our French school located in the heart of London!
It was once thought that speaking more than one language would only have for effect confusion. We are indeed no strangers to the whole ‘franglais’ phenomenon – the result of forgetting how to say words in a language and therefore replacing them with their equivalents in another. This internal conflict between two tongues has actually been proven to increase the brains capacity to resolve internal conflicts. Indeed, studies have shown that bilingual children are much more apt at solving mental puzzles than monolinguals are. It is like a little workout for the brain if you like. These ‘workouts’ improve the brain’s ‘executive function’ – a command system used for planning, solving problems, multitasking, staying focused and avoiding distractions and even memorizing! As bilinguals are always forced to flawlessly switch from one language to another, they often develop a more efficient ability to monitor the environment. They are more alert and quicker to adapt to new situations. Finally, bilingualism might actually help fight against dementia – but studies are still being carried out to prove the link between the two.
Learning a new language might seem like a daunting task to some, but it really is worth it.
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