Speaking in more than one language is so good for your well-being | Health - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Speaking in more than one language is so good for your well-being

Mumbai | By
Dec 10, 2018 06:59 PM IST

Apart from giving your personality a multicultural appeal, talking in different languages also gives you a host of health benefits.

Recently, a video featuring Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his daughter Ziva Dhoni, in which the father-daughter duo conversed in Tamil and Bhojpuri, went viral. Serena Williams too had posted a video on Instagram in which she was seen talking to her daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr, in French. While the videos were high in cuteness quotient, it definitely got people talking about being multilingual and its perks. And who hasn’t felt proud when they go to a foreign country and are able to say “thank you” to someone at the hotel or airport in their native tongue. What’s more, experts, too, are unanimous in stating that picking up a new language benefits us throughout the life.

Experts are unanimous in stating that picking up a new language benefits us throughout the life.(Photo: Istock)
Experts are unanimous in stating that picking up a new language benefits us throughout the life.(Photo: Istock)

“Our brain functions with networks. So, every time we learn a new language, there is a formation of a new network in the brain. Switching between languages means a person has to switch between those networks. This process enhances your sharpness, memory, intelligence and the ability to multitask. So, generally, it improves the cognition of a person,” says Dr Vibhor Pardasani, neurologist, Bhatia Hospital. 

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

View this post on Instagram

Greetings in two language

A post shared by M S Dhoni (@mahi7781) on

The upside

Apparently, acquiring any kind of linguistic skill, changes our brain in a quantitative sense, according to Dr Anil Venkitachalam, neurologist, K J Somaiya Super Specialty Hospital. “Evidence suggests that learning a new language increases the hippocampus size, and enhances brain development,” he says.

Ritika S Aggarwal, psychologist, Jaslok Hospital And Research Centre, lists the overall benefits of learning languages in each phase of life:

Childhood: It makes it easier to pick up newer languages as kids grow up, and immerse themselves in different situations. It works on cognitive abilities and flexibilities, problem-solving skills, creativity, improves focus and listening skills. This has a direct positive impact on their academics.

Teenage: In addition to the above benefits, it also allows teens to socialise, an important skill at this age. It is a perk when applying to colleges outside one’s own city or country, and an added advantage on their resume. In totality, it contributes in building their self-confidence.

Teenagers who speak multiple languages have better social skills. (Photo: Images Bazaar)
Teenagers who speak multiple languages have better social skills. (Photo: Images Bazaar)

Adulthood: In today’s day and age, the world is becoming a smaller place and knowing another language gives you better opportunities in terms of career and travel. It allows you to network with people from different states, cultures, and races with an ease that would otherwise not be present.

Old age: Learning a new language has been associated with slowing of inevitable age-related cognitive decline. It is found in some studies that learning to express, the language in writing, irrespective of being unilingual or multilingual can postpone dementia. Another study found that monolinguals developed dementia almost 4.5 years earlier than bilinguals.

Any downsides?

“The only downside can be for a child who is not exposed to the mother tongue sufficiently and is introduced to another language immediately. The child will get confused between the languages and those independent networks won’t be established. They will have a single network of a mixed-up language,” says Dr Vibhor Pardasani, neurologist, Bhatia Hospital.

Also, those learning it in later stages of life might be prone to stress as the process can get more frustrating, as per Namrata Dagia, clinical psychologist, The Illuminating Zone. “As an adult, learning a new language pushes you into an uncomfortable zone. This means a lot of patience and understanding needs to be cultivated deliberately. Because at the end of the day, you are putting extra load on your brain,” she concludes.

With inputs from Neeta V Shetty, psychotherapist and life coach, and Dr Manjiri Deshpande, child psychiatrist.

Follow @htlifeandstyle for more
The author tweets @iamsusanjose

Oscars 2024: Nominees to Red Carpet Glam! Get Exclusive Coverage on HT. Click Here

Catch your daily dose of Fashion, Health, Festivals, Travel, Relationship, Recipe and all the other Latest Lifestyle News on Hindustan Times Website and APPs
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    author-default-90x90

    Susan writes on beauty, wellness, food, music and travel for HT Café. She has studied electronic and online journalism.

SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Monday, March 18, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On