The Boundless Benefits of Bilingualism

Language is quite literally at every corner of this world. Whether it be inside your own home, in the grocery store, or even at the workplace, language is what carries us throughout the journey of understanding one another. And as the earth’s population continuously grows, more and more languages are being exposed to each individual. As a result, remarkably, a vast majority of the world’s population seems to be bilingual nowadays, some impressively knowing multiple languages at most. Although knowing more than one language may not mean much to a person, it indeed has a reward of many interesting benefits. So what are the people who only speak one language missing out on?

First of all, knowing at least two languages holds great advantages for a person’s career and education. According to the Estyln Report, bilingual children tend to be more successful in education. Balancing the ability to learn two completely different types of language structures and vocabulary at a young age seems to enhance how the brain functions. Bilingual people additionally find it much easier to learn more languages. Along with that, career-wise, speaking two languages is an extra skill that you can proudly add to an application. Many jobs prefer to hire contenders that are bilingual, especially due to the great diversity present in the population of America. Knowing multiple languages is a marvelous advantage if you’re trying to present yourself to a communication-demanding job.

Next, and most importantly, research from the US National Library of Medicine shows that being bilingual delays the onset of dementia and the most common signs of Alzheimer’s Disease 一 both of which are common brain conditions. According to the study, out of the 211 consecutive patients, the bilingual patients had been diagnosed 4.3 years later and had reported the onset of symptoms 5.1 years later than the monolingual patients. Thus, and to a wonderful surprise, bilingualism appears to contribute to cognitive reserve, the mind’s resistance to damage of the brain. It can improve a person’s attention control, problem-solving, creativity, memory, and even multitasking abilities.

Not only does this skill have a large impact on health and career, but it seems to present a variety of other positive day-to-day benefits as well. Knowing two languages makes it easier and more enjoyable to travel; you can better experience the cultures of different countries this way. Furthermore, speaking a second language enhances your confidence and social skills 一 you feel more confident when you’re able to communicate to a wider range of people as you start understanding more languages.

As we all have now fully understood, bilingualism is associated with a variety of vast benefits, all that are very important in today’s modern world. While impacting your health, career, and social life, it’s quite impressive seeing how far languages can take you 一 even if they’re just words and sounds coming out of your mouth. But as Frank Smith once said, “one language sets you in a corridor for life, [but] two languages open every door along the way.”

Sources:

Marian, Viorica, and Anthony Shook. “The Cognitive Benefits of Being Bilingual.” Cerebrum : The Dana Forum on Brain Science, vol. 2012, 2012, p. 13, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583091/. Accessed 2 Aug. 2021.

Byers-Heinlein, Krista, and Casey Lew-Williams. “Bilingualism in the Early Years: What the Science Says.” LEARNing Landscapes, vol. 7, no. 1, 2013, pp. 95–112, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6168212/. Accessed 2 Aug. 2021.

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