Why Bilinguals Are Smarter

The power of language is unlimited. Some say that the language is one of the greatest inventions in human history because it’s the only thing that separates us from the other primates. Nowadays, people all around the world are used to learn and speak English beyond their native language during international cooperation. They come across the language borders and keep in touch with others by communicating and influence others with their second language. As Yudhijit Bhattacharjee states in “Why Bilinguals Are Smarter”, “in recent years, scientists have begun to show that the advantages of bilingualism are even more fundamental than being able to speak with a wider range of people. Being bilingual, it turns out, makes you smarter.” Being bilingual

Using English as an advanced tool, I can get along with specific knowledge and interesting international culture. When I was in middle school, I had attended a foreign culture learning course. When finishing the reading for the class, I was totally attracted by the English book “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. The main topic of this “utility” book is how to use their language ability, especially talking, to make people like you and have a perfect friendship with others. I attempted to earn both of the English and Chinese speaking tactics from the book and use language empathy in my real life. As a result, I was accepted and well-liked by most foreigners around me. They believed that I had crossed the language borders and had a good control over English language skill. Also from the research information provided by “Building Bridges and Crossing Borders: A Cross-Cultural Perspective on the Impact of ESL Learners’ Beliefs, Expectations, and Experiences in their Sense of Progress”, Mohammed Al-Alawi stated that “ESL learners are usually motivated language learners and among the most successful students in the

There are so many celebrities who are bilingual or multilingual in the history. For examples, William Randolph Hearst, Hemmingway, Nightingale and even Helen Keller are all multi-language speakers. Mahatma Gandhi, the preeminent leader of the Indian independence movement in British-ruled India, one of the most admirable people in my perspective, is also a multilingual. Gandhi was born in a merchant family in Porbandar. Influence by the revolution in that era, he attempted to be a vegetarian to reinforced the spirit of Indian nationality but failed. Then he learned English in order to study abroad in London and gained a law degree at the Inner Temple. With the help of his bilingual ability, Gandhi was employed as an expatriate lawyer in South Africa for nonviolent civil disobedience. After he came back to India in 1915 and struggled for civil rights, Gandhi attempted to practice nonviolence and truth in all situations and advocated that others do the same. Although He was imprisoned for many years, upon many occasions, in both South Africa and India, his spirit of “Ashimsa” influenced the nationalist from all over the world. As Zack Simon stated in “Can Learning a New Language Boost Your Creativity?”, “bilinguals have been shown to outperform monolinguals in tasks that require them to switch attention between tasks, ignore distractions, and hold newly acquired information in mind.” Without his bilingual ability, Gandhi wouldn’t be able to spread his