Did you know that the bilingualism gives you a lot of benefits?
It is said that people who can speak more than one language have a different point of view on almost everything. Looking at things and thinking in a language that is not your mother tongue gives your view a lot of new shades and new perspectives.
Language can influence the way we describe the world outside too. For example, a Finnish and an Arabic speaking person would describe the world in two different ways. The first one would have almost 40 words to describe snow, winter, and cold, while the second one hardly has so many words to describe an environment that does not belong to his culture.
As a result, bilingualism can make you bicultural, a great advantage considering that nowadays globalization is making our already multicultural world even more connected, and different cultural immersions may happen almost everyday.
Which are the benefits of bilingualism?
- It keeps your brain fit
Our brain is a muscle, and so it needs to exercise to be fit. Speaking more than one language is a good way to do that. Even more useful is the language switching, a common practice in people who daily switch from one language (like their native one) to another used in the country they are living in.
- Employment benefits
Being bilingual gives better chances at getting a job. Speaking more than one language is a really appreciable skill, especially in international companies who use the local language for internal communication and English for external communication.
- It helps you while travelling
If you speak the language of the place you visit while traveling abroad, things will be much easier and faster and you will discover the true local culture.
- It lets you make new friends
It often happens that the linguistic obstacle does not allow you to make new friends. Speaking more than one language will help you get in touch with foreign people, break the ice and make new friends. If you want to find out some tips about “How to make friends while abroad” check our article.
In conclusion…
“There are clear and very tangible benefits to being bilingual. Although there is limited proof that growing up bilingual gives children a significant cognitive edge, lifelong learning and using a second language regularly does indeed seem to make our brains more nimble and resilient. The economic benefits, moreover, can be substantial. Speaking more languages also makes us more open-minded and helps us feel more connected to other cultures and to the world. Who knows – bilingualism might even foster peace and understanding at a global level. If that’s not a good reason to learn another language, I don’t know what is.”
Education First
Are you still doubting about on the benefits of bilingualism and want to know more? Check the EF article “Bilingual is better (and here’s why)” and find out why you should learn a second language.
Wondering which is the best way to learn a foreign language? To live in the country where the language is spoken or to attend a language immersion course. We deeply talk about it in our blog article “Linguistic Immersions: the key of Languages Learning”.