Learning a new language can be tricky, and most avid learners have to spend months before they can master speaking like a local. It's a great asset especially when traveling, not to mention it looks extremely cool when you put it in your resumes.
But other than that, being bilingual has several other benefits as well. Here are some of them:
It trains your memory skills to improve. Because learning a new language requires deep comprehension and memorization, over time your brain will improve more in memorizing other things, with your "mental muscle" constantly on workout. Multi-language speakers are shown to be more adept in memorizing than those who don't.
You become alert multi-taskers. Bilinguals are proven to be more comfortable in doing several things at once because they have trained their brain to process different types of information quickly. Their responses are faster and in tune, and they don't tend to go all over the place when doing two things simultaneously.
You become great listeners. If you learn a new language, your hearing skills over time will definitely improve, because you will have trained yourself to distinguish different sounds and their meaning. Because you will be skilled in comprehending conversations in a different language, this will also help you in deciphering people's reactions and feelings from the tone of their voice, even if they're hiding it.
Your brain will get bigger. According to Insider, "A 2014 study titled 'Age of language learning shapes brain structure' found the cortical thickness of the bilingual brain is only altered when language learning happens later in life, after developing proficiency in their first language. The later a second language is acquired, the greater the effect on brain structure increase." This means the muscles of your brain will definitely grow more healthily, avoiding mental diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia.
Your intelligence will improve. It's been commonly proven that those who dedicate time to studying certain subjects are smarter than those who don't. Learning a new language is challenging, stressful, and requires huge amounts of concentration. If you're already adept, your mental skills will also reflect on your problem-solving skills, meaning you will be more able to tackle tricky situations correctly.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
