Bilingualism

What this video is about

This video explains what research says about bilingualism. It starts from the premise that language depends both on genetics, which provides specialised brain areas and the vocal apparatus, and on experience, and that its use shapes the structure of the brain and influences the way we think. It addresses the long-held belief that learning two languages at once confuses children, and notes that studies point rather to the opposite. It also recalls that more than half of the world’s population is bilingual.

According to the neuroimaging studies discussed, switching from one language to another generates different patterns of activity, especially in the frontal cortex, and is linked to better executive functions: greater ease in spotting grammatical errors, shifting the focus of attention or putting oneself in another person’s shoes. Disadvantages are also mentioned, such as a somewhat smaller vocabulary in each language and some slowness in finding the exact word.

The video presents the “one parent, one language” strategy and suggests it can be applied flexibly. It also refers to studies in which symptoms of dementia appeared several years later in bilingual people. Finally, the author encourages families to give it a try and not to lose their curiosity.

Topics: bilingualism, language development, executive functions, parenting, cognitive ageing