"We're seeing that exposure to two languages early in life carries far-reaching benefits," say Marian and Margarita Kaushanskaya, co-authors of "The Bilingual Advantage in Novel World Learning." "Our research tells us that children who grow up with two languages wind up being better language learners later on." The researchers found that people who are bilingual can learn a new foreign language more easily than monolingual speakers, even when that language is "invented" and has no relationship to either of the languages they know.
"It's often assumed that individuals who've learned multiple languages simply have a natural aptitude for learning languages," said Viorica Marian, associate professor of communication sciences and disorders at Northwestern. "While that is true in some cases, our research shows that the experience of becoming bilingual itself makes learning a new language easier."
The researchers believe that being bilingual may also provide an advantage when it comes to other types of language learning. It may be easier for these people to learn new words in their own language, and they may be better able to maintain verbal information.
In the area of dual-language immersion programs, parents may decide against these schools, fearing that their child will be confused and that his or her ability to learn in subject areas may be compromised. However, the Kaushanskayas' research, published in the May issue of the Journal of Experimental Psychology, counters that belief. Bilinguals, it shows, actually have a greater ability than monolinguals to filter out irrelevant information when they are learning a new language.
For details on the studies, click here.
Stay Sharper Longer: Speak More Than One Language
While there's no way to completely stop the effects of aging on the brain, you may be able to
The results, published in the Journal Psychology and Aging, showed that senior citizens who speak additional languages demonstrate better cognitive functioning. Why? Their brains get more "exercise" than those of people who are monolingual. In addition, languages are thought to create new links in the brain.
Dr. Gitit Kavé, a clinical neuropsychologist from the Herczeg Institute on Aging at Tel Aviv University, and her colleagues based their research on a survey conducted in 1989. The subjects were between the ages of 75 and 95. The survey asked how many languages the person knew, the person's native language, and which language he/she spoke best.
Comparisons were made between bilingual speakers and those who spoke three or more languages. The results showed a correlation: the more languages, the higher the cognitive level.
Educational level also was also strongly associated with cognitive fitness but, "We found that more languages were most significantly correlated with cognitive state in those people who had no education at all," Kavé reported.
According to the researcher, learning a new language can only have a positive outcome. "Other languages are good for you at any age. They allow for a flexibility of thought and a channel for understanding another culture better, as well as your own," she says.
To read the full article, click here.
