8 unexpected benefits of learning foreign languages

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

It seems that you can only learn a new language in childhood, but this is not the case. You will need motivation and commitment. If motivation is lacking, the eight scientifically proven benefits of learning a new language can help you gain motivation.

1. Knowledge of the native language improves

Only by learning a foreign language, we begin to appreciate the native language more. Speaking it since childhood, we don’t think about how it was built, we often don’t notice its beauty.

Research by Canadian scholars from the Alberta Teachers Association has found that learning a second language can significantly improve grammar, vocabulary, and speaking skills in your native language. This is akin to the situation where you, for example, played basketball all your life, and then learned to play volleyball and use new skills to play basketball even better.

2. Concentration improves

American scientists conducted a study in which they observed, using functional magnetic resonance imaging, people who spoke multiple languages as they performed word comprehension tasks. The results showed that such people are better at filtering out similar words than those who speak only one language.

This ability helps you block out various distractions and focus on one task. Even minimal knowledge of a second language offers significant benefits.

3. Some brain diseases can be prevented

There is no escape from aging. However, learning a new language can prevent or delay the development of brain diseases such as Alzheimer's or dementia by 4-5 years. Even medicines do not give such an effect. Communication in several languages increases the number of neural pathways in the brain, because of this, information is processed through more channels.

4. Mathematical ability improves

In a 2007 study by the American Council for Foreign Language Teaching, it was found that children who learn a foreign language performed better in math than those with more hours of mathematics on their schedule but no foreign language at all.

No wonder, because learning the basics of another language involves logical thinking. Various mnemonics that are used to learn new words are also needed in mathematics to memorize complex formulas.

5. You learn faster

When we learn a foreign language, our ability to memorize new information also improves. This shortens the training period. Plus, those who know multiple languages are better at multitasking.

6. You become more sociable

Communication with other people, perhaps, is the essence of learning a foreign language. And to improve your speaking skills, it is best to study with a native speaker or with those who already know it and also want to practice. It's just like riding a bike. To learn how to ride it, it's not enough just to watch a lot of videos, you need to sit down and start pedaling.

In addition, learning a language is about immersion in a new culture, an opportunity to look at the world from a completely different angle and learn to empathize.

7. Creativity develops

Speaking in another language, we often have to look for synonyms and build words into coherent sentences so that the interlocutor understands us. This improves divergent thinking skills by constantly forcing us to seek multiple solutions to the same problem.

Therefore, researchers believe that people who speak multiple languages are more creative than those who speak the same language.

8. Self-confidence increases

When we decide to do something and succeed, it increases our confidence, no matter how small our victory may be. Even being able to have a short conversation with a native speaker can make us more confident. After all, this means that we were able to do what was previously impossible for us.

Over time, this mindset is strengthened and helps to achieve the set goals in all areas of life.