(Charlemagne)
People used to think in the past that learning two languages created confusion in the mind. Even, it was thought, that if they had managed to learn a language, there was no need to bother learning another language.
An even more extreme and absurd view was that the learning of two languages caused a kind of schizophrenia or dual personality.
Some studies seemed to support the idea that learning two languages could be problematic. Early researchers observed that bilinguals tended to have smaller vocabularies and slower access to words.
Psychological advantages of learning another language
But these minor myths and disadvantages have been overshadowed by a wave of new research showing the incredible psychological benefits of learning a second language:
1. Growth of the mind
The fact that the language centers in the brain grow, is actually one of the main benefits of learning a second language. The better you learn, the more vital areas of the brain grow.
2. Avoid dementia
Bilingualism delays Alzheimer's disease in susceptible people for up to five years. It seems incredible, but the studies continue to support this result. To put this in context: the effect on dementia of learning another language is much greater than anything that can be achieved with the latest medications.
3. Hear better
Being bilingual can lead to the improvement of listening skills, since the brain has to work harder to distinguish the different types of sounds in two or more languages.
4. Be more sensitive to learning more languages
Babies raised in bilingual homes can distinguish languages they have not even heard before. Only exposure to different sounds in, for example, Spanish and Catalan, helps them to differentiate between English and French. It is another benefit of learning a second language.
5. Memory expansion
Babies raised in a bilingual environment have a stronger working memory than those raised in a single language. This means that they are better for mental calculation, reading and many other vital skills.
6. Be better at multitasking
Bilingual people can change from one task to another more quickly. They show greater cognitive flexibility and find it easier to adapt to unexpected circumstances.
7. Greater attention
Bilinguals have more control over their attention and are better able to limit distractions.
8. Increase in cognitive ability
The increase of the cognitive, as the improvement of the attention and better multitasking, can come because the bilingual people have both languages activated at the same time, and they must continuously monitor which is appropriate.
All that confers round-trip switching are the benefits of learning a second language.
9. New ways of seeing things
Learning a new language can literally change the way you see the world. Learning Japanese, for example, that has basic terms to describe colors (colors are proper names of people, male or female, for example: Midori (green and girl's name)), can help you perceive color in different ways .
10. Improve your first language
From learning a second language, draw your attention to the rules and structure of abstract language, which can make you better in your mother tongue.
These are the benefits of immersing yourself in another culture, and of seeing your own culture from the perspective of the other. Having said all this, it is very possible to get something like "a second soul" by learning another language.
As Geoffrey Willans said "You can never understand a language until you understand at least two."