Learning to speak is the best ability anyone can attain. Being fluent in one language is already incredible, but being fluent in two or more languages? That is when things start to get interesting. In Jeffrey Kluger’s essay, “Understanding How the Brain Speaks Two Languages,” he talks about the intellectual and practical benefits to being bilingual/multilingual. It is said that
“the ability to speak two or more languages has a profound effect on [one’s] brain, from improving [one’s] analytical skills, to enhancing [one’s] cognition, to protecting [one’s] brain from dementia later in life” (125). This signifies that people who can speak two or more languages acquire better benefits than people who can only speak one language. This may be true
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Moreover, bilingualism is a hard learning process in the beginning, but it comes with helpful benefits when one is fluent in both languages. For one, I can almost always communicate with anyone in
English because that is one thing most, if not all, of us in America have in common. Secondly, I am able to tell if someone is Vietnamese by looking at them, and this usually occurs with the adults. There have been times where I have had to talk with Vietnamese people, but they were having a hard time communicating with me in English. Once I realized they were Vietnamese, I immediately switched from English to Vietnamese, and it made things much easier for them because they were able to speak their native language to me freely without struggling to speak in
English. However, there is a challenge that I normally face. Being bilingual means that I have to constantly apply use of both languages. Hence, if I do not frequently use both languages, I begin to forget the one I use less. Therefore, in order to combat this, I have to frequently apply both languages to everyday life so I will not forget.
There may be people who disagree with my position and claim that being bilingual
I came from Mexico when I was 4 years, and like many of us I did not know English. Little by little I became fluent until I now can dominate English. Many people come to this country for a better life, but once in this country, we notice how essential English is for our everyday life. Being bilingual can be very beneficial for anyone in this country. I may be fluent in English, but I still prefer speaking in the Spanish language. This may be because at home that is all we speak. Both my parents do not really know English much. It’s better for me to talk to them in Spanish. I can try to talk to them in English but there may be a few words they won’t
Coping with two different sides of you can be challenging especially in American society. By being bilingual you always have a small character inside of you telling you what to do and how to react. As being an immigrant myself, I agree on the importance of public language. Human beings have a natural instinct to be happy in socially involved activities. To communicate with your peers and have a mutual understanding is a great blessing. However, that doesn’t mean you disregard the importance of your own mother tongue that made you who you are and gave you a unique identity. Using myself as an example, I speak a tribal language that is full of rich culture and identity, signifying the story and history of our people. My father prefers my siblings and I do not speak any English at home and only speak Pashto. I try to go by his sayings because I believe that by living in a western society and going to English speaking schools, I will gradually assimilate into their community and will be able to communicate without difficulty. Contrary, by not speaking Pashto at home and with family, I will not only lose my language, but my intimacy to my unique culture and heritage. Therefore, I believe that you can use your mother language and public language together to only enhance your confidence in both
As I have read multiple articles about what bilingualism means, I have come to understand that it’s more complex than just speaking two or more languages. The Merriam-Webster dictionary provides three definitions of bilingualism: (1) the ability to speak two languages, (2) the frequent use (as by a community) of two languages, and (3) the political or institutional recognition of two languages. Espada’s view of bilingualism seems more in line with the third definition, and Rodriguez’s view identifies with the second one. I have developed my personal view as a mix of the second and third definitions. Although Merriam-Webster provides concrete definitions for bilingualism, people like Espada, Rodriguez, and myself have developed their own interpretation of bilingualism based on our cultural backgrounds and community environments.
I can communicate with my family and friends that only speak one language. I can enjoy the marvelous stories that my grandparents and uncles tell me. I can also play with my cousins that live in El Salvador and Mexico. I am very proud of being bilingual because I represent the most important minorities in this great country, and I also represent other
There are more than 6,500 languages around the world. We can't control where we are born nor what will be our native language. Although, we can choose which we are going to speak as a second language. Speaking more than one language has obvious benefits in today's internationally growing world, and it has become common to know more than one. Being bilingual is a benefit, that one is never too old nor too ahead to experience and learn from
Understanding more than one language has positive effects on the brain’s ability to think. In comparison to multilingual individuals, monolingual English speakers are at a considerable disadvantage when it comes to learning, cultural awareness, and effectiveness in global affairs.
Language is an important part of our lives. I remember when I arrived to USA I could speak a little English. I went to school to improve my language, reading and writing skills; even now I am learning my second language, without English I cannot survive in this new environment. Now I am raising my own kids and I want them to have this important skill, this privilege of knowing a second language, language of their parents and grandparents. By looking at studies of bilingual children, research shows how important it is for a child to learn a second language. Raising a bilingual child is a benefit because it improves social skills, academic proficiency, introduces child to a different culture, and prepares for the future.
In my case, I speak three languages, but this time I am going to focus on the ones that I am in touch with most of the time. Spanish is my mother language and my second language is English, consequently, I am a bilingual person for all people who does not know what is being bilingual. According to Myers (2006), being bilingual is not only the ability of understanding a language, but learning how to produce it and also, deciding where you can use a certain way of language depending on the context you are. This is the real bilingual I am.
Having heard that with each language one learns, the next becomes easier, I have always through that learning languages does something incredibly beneficial for the brain. Research on the subject seems to indicate that in fact there are plenty of benefits of multilingualism spawning the phrase “the bilingual advantage.”
In the last few decades, the notion of language and brain has been highlighted in different scientific fields such as: neurology, cognitive science, linguistics biology, technology and finally education.
Speaking to someone in their native language is a great complement to that person. Most people do not care enough to learn the language of the country they are visiting. Some travelers expect the people to already know their language to the place that their traveling to. This being said, the ones who actually know the language to the place that they are traveling to, can hold a special place in the local heart. If a child grows up learning two languages, he/she will have a greater appreciation for, not just one, but both languages that they grew up learning, knowing and respecting. This can also be beneficial for school, homework, and tests. If that child knows both English and Spanish, and if they are discussing something that is related to Spanish, like history, that child could be interested since he/she g...
Also bilinguals do less than monolinguals in ‘VOCABULARY TESTS’ and also picture choosing and naming different objects in it. LANGUAGE FLUENCY is also affected for bilinguals because they become confused and double minded before choosing appropriate words for particular object in particular situations. If a child is seeking school language (academics required language) which is totally different from home language then this type of child “experiences increased difficulty in coping with both academically and socially”. “BILINGUALS are weak at perceiving the verbal and non-verbal tasks that require controlled attention and selectivity in conceptual categories”. Also, the cognitive problems such as memory-span development is reduced and speaking age time period also becomes late due to confused speaking problems of bilingualism.
The development of the brain of a bilingual individual is better than a monolingual individual. Few years ago, researchers from the University of Washington (as cited in Klass, 2011, para 4.) found that the brains of bilingual infants (from families where two languages were spoken) are able to discriminate the different of the phonetic sound of the languages they usually heard when they grew up than monolingual infants in where their brains were adapted to only identify their mother tongue only. Dr. Patricia Kuhl, one of the members of this research team thus believe that bilingual education can shape infants’ brains and keep them ready for future challenges. Concurrently, a renowned psychologist, Dr. Ellen...
Having the ability to speak multiple languages can give people the upper hand when learning and experiencing new cultures; however, being monolingual can help in today 's society. Although having the ability to communicate in different languages can be helpful, being monolingual is not a disadvantage due to the ability to communicate in today 's new and modern global world through the language of English.
As time goes by and as the global community develops, the world grows more and more international, making second or third language acquisition become necessary to the majority. With the growing importance of multiple language ability, more and more parents think of bilingual or multilingual education, which means acquisitions of two or more languages, for their kids. In fact, we do have many reasons showing why multilingual education is important and beneficial, such as aspects of interpersonal relationship, employment, brain health, and so on.