Having a polyglot brain: an overwhelming amount of benefits
by Desirée Cannata
Being able to speak more than a language is without any doubt significantly beneficial and helpful in our everyday life: we can watch movies without subtitles, listen to music without having to look for the lyrics and switch from a language to another in a split second.
But did you know that the brain of a polyglot and the brain of a monolingual work and also look differently?
Recent studies have shown how learning a new language affects the brain. For example, in a multilingual brain we find a higher density of grey matter, which contains neurons and synapses.
In practical terms, this leads to a well-functioning memory: managing two or more languages simultaneously helps sharpening our ability to focus while ignoring irrelevant information.
In the long run, this affects our health: a study demonstrates that multilingual people will less likely suffer from chronic diseases, for example Alzheimer’s.
Learning how to think and communicate in another language gives our brains a powerful workout.
Multilingual brains are more developed in those areas that process speech, such as:
- The motor cortex, which manages the lips and the mouth
- Wernicke’s Area, which is where the brain systematises active speech
- Broca’s Area, where sounds are “filtered” and analyzed
- The auditory cortex, where the auditory stimuli is received
Research shows that polyglot students are favoured in reading comprehension and logic.
Moreover, language learners are exposed to other cultures and customs. Thanks to this, they are more likely to embrace diversity and inclusivity and show increased levels of empathy. That’s a big win for them!
What type of multilingual are you?
There are three different types of multilinguals, depending on how and when they acquired the language.
1. A compound multilingual learns two or more languages simultaneously with a single context.
2. A coordinate multilingual acquires the languages in different contexts and situations.
3. A sub-coordinate multilingual learns another language by comparing and translating it through their native language.
Let’s take a brief look at our brain’s hemispheres now. It’s well known that the left hemisphere is dominant in logical activities, while the right one is active in emotional processes. Learning a language involves both types of activities.
According to the theory of the critical period hypothesis, since children’s brains are still developing and elastic, they use both hemispheres to learn a language, making it easier for them. Contrastingly, in adults, only one hemisphere is involved (the left one).
In practical terms, people who learn a language in childhood (for example, a compound multilingual) get a more complete and overall grasp of its contexts, including the emotional one, while those who learn a second language in adulthood (a coordinate multilingual) display a more rational approach when facing problems in their second language.
Isn’t it incredible how our brains react differently to such development?
As we have just read, being able to speak more than a language brings a lot of changes to our health, lives and way of thinking.
So, even if you weren’t lucky enough to be raised as a multilingual, it’s never too late to challenge yourself and give your brain an intense but incredibly profitable workout!