Right now, I am taking my first year of Spanish for my high school credit. I have to say to is pretty satisfying. And it turns out it great for your brain too. I have recently read an The Atlantic article titled For a Better Brain, Learn Another Language: The cognitive benefits of multilingualism. by Cody C. Delistraty.
We have all heard of the benefits of learning a new language. It really is amazing how simply learning a different tongue can borden your horizons. In the article, it starts with how English doesn’t have a lot of words or phrases found in other language that express certain things or feeling such as that feeling of finding the perfect thing to say after an argument. Yeah, that feeling. However there are much deeper and more beneficial aspects of having a second language.
Culturally, you understand more and can enjoy things more. Cognitively, the list goes on and on. Countless studies and experiments show that having a second language translates to better standardized test scores, better memory, and attentiveness. Simple mistakes in spelling or logic are less likely when you have a second language to pull from. Multilingual adults seem to make better decisions. They make better spending decisions as they see that difference between technically borrowed credit card money and your own cash. Cognitive decline often is delayed with second tongue also.
But why? Remember these people just have a second language. They didn’t necessarily study hardier or do anything special to improve their results in these studies. So why does a second language influences something as unrelated as math standardized tests? Scientists say that it is the psychological distance needed for speaking a different language. This allows for more thinking and leads to more well-reasoned decisions. This is really great as it allows us to improve our cognitive ability and health with something simple like learning a new language as scientist say that the basics of a language is enough to potentially delay cognitive decline.
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