In the early 1900s, some people thought
that being bilingual made a child less smart and unable to communicate
well. Some researchers believed that learning a second language
would confuse or hold people back. But in reality, being bilingual has
proven to be truly beneficial to us, and there have been numerous conversations
about the benefits of being bilingual. Professor Li Wei, from the Institute Of
Education, UCL, says that: "Learning a new language is an exercise of the mind. It's the
mental equivalent of going to a gym every day." The benefits of being bilingual are now
widely acknowledged. And one of the most common is the fact that being bilingual can
improve your career options and actually make you richer. An article in The Economist
stated that speaking two languages would increase your salary by two percent over
40 years, about $67,000 when you retire. Translators and interpreters are jobs
that are growing quickly in the United States, therefore, approximately 9,200 positions
are expected to be available each year until 2031. Not to say that the ability to work across
cultures is deeply needed in any field. Being bilingual can also make the process
of learning new languages easier. Research expressed that those who can speak two languages
find it much easier to learn a third or fourth language. My native language is Portuguese, and I
believe that English helps me a lot when studying new languages because there are many resources
for language learning that are in English, but it's not only that. I also think that it
makes it easier for me to form associations between words and concepts; sometimes I
will understand the concept of a Spanish or Korean word through the lenses of the
English language rather than Portuguese. On other occasions, I will remember an English
word because of its translation in Spanish. Research has also found that bilinguals can see
the world and themselves differently. For example, those who regularly speak a second language are
able to perceive differences in color variations that aren't perceived by monolinguals. Recent
research has also revealed that individuals exhibit a tendency to show more emotional
responses in their primary language, while showing a more rational and abstract response
in their second language. By being bilingual, you can also develop the ability to
see other people's perspectives and recognize that it is possible and completely
normal to have different points of views. And now one of the most important benefits of
bilingualism. It can slow the effects of old age. As we get older, our cognitive functions decline.
But speaking two or more languages actually helps with cognition and reading abilities. While being
bilingual cannot prevent Alzheimer's disease, it can delay its first symptoms by as much as
five years. Being bilingual can significantly delay the decline of our cognitive
flexibility, which is our ability to selectively switch between mental procedures
to give appropriate behavioral responses. And to end this video, curious information for
you guys. While researching for this video, I came across the statement that
being bilingual can actually make you more attractive. In a study, a
team analyzed which languages got the participants' hearts racing the
fastest. The winning languages were: Italian, which had the participant's heart rate
increased by 23%; Portuguese; French; and Greek. It is important to say that there is plenty
of research that talks about the benefits of being bilingual. But some of them tend to
analyze bilingualism as an isolated factor, when in reality, like everything else in our
lives, the act of being bilingual and the consequences of it depends on various factors
in one's life. But, as a bilingual myself, I can definitely assure you that it does
indeed come with countless benefits. Thank you so much for watching this video! Please
don't forget to like and subscribe. Because that will help me a lot. I'll see you guys in the
next video. Have a lovely day, or night. Bye!
