Learning a foreign language is more than just a boost to your CV or handy for travelling. It will make you smarter, more decisive and even better at English, says Anne Merritt.
学外语不仅是丰富你的简历或者方便旅行。学外语会让你更聪明,更果断,甚至让你的母语更棒,语言学作家安妮·梅里特讲到。
Physiological studies have found that speaking two or more languages is a great asset to the cognitive process. The brains of bilingual people operate differently than single language speakers, and these differences offer several mental benefits.
生理研究发现能讲两种或以上的语言对于认知过程大有帮助,是一笔莫大的财富。能讲两种语言的人们,其大脑运转方式和只能讲一种语言的人是不同的,这种不同,带来了好些脑力方面的帮助。
Below are seven cognitive advantages to learning a foreign language. Many of theseattributesare only apparent in people who speak multiple languages regularly – if you haven’t spoken a foreign tongue since your A levels, your brain might not be reapingthese bilingual benefits. However, people who begin language study in their adult lives can still achieve the same levels of fluency as a young learner, and still reap the same mental benefits, too.
以下是学习一门外语的七个认知优势。这其中的很多特质只适用于频繁讲多种语言的人——如果你在达到初级水平之后就再也没讲过这门外语,你的大脑可能还没有抓住这些双语优势。然而,在成人阶段开始语言学习的人们仍然可以达到和年少学生一样的流利程度,也同样可以收获相同的认知优势。
You become smarter
变得更聪明
Speaking a foreign language improves the functionality of your brain by challenging it to recognise, negotiate meaning, and communicate in different language systems. This skill boosts your ability to negotiate meaning in other problem-solving tasks as well.
讲外语会迫使你的大脑去识别、调整语义,并且在不同的语言系统中交流,以此提升大脑的功能。此技能也会帮助你在解决其他问题时懂得调整。
Students who study foreign languages tend to score better on standardised tests than their monolingual peers, particularly in the categories of maths, reading, and vocabulary.
学习外语的学生,和只会讲一种语言的同学相比,更倾向于在标准化考试中取得更好的成绩,尤其是在数学、阅读和词汇这些范畴。
学外语不仅是丰富你的简历或者方便旅行。学外语会让你更聪明,更果断,甚至让你的母语更棒,语言学作家安妮·梅里特讲到。
Physiological studies have found that speaking two or more languages is a great asset to the cognitive process. The brains of bilingual people operate differently than single language speakers, and these differences offer several mental benefits.
生理研究发现能讲两种或以上的语言对于认知过程大有帮助,是一笔莫大的财富。能讲两种语言的人们,其大脑运转方式和只能讲一种语言的人是不同的,这种不同,带来了好些脑力方面的帮助。
Below are seven cognitive advantages to learning a foreign language. Many of theseattributesare only apparent in people who speak multiple languages regularly – if you haven’t spoken a foreign tongue since your A levels, your brain might not be reapingthese bilingual benefits. However, people who begin language study in their adult lives can still achieve the same levels of fluency as a young learner, and still reap the same mental benefits, too.
以下是学习一门外语的七个认知优势。这其中的很多特质只适用于频繁讲多种语言的人——如果你在达到初级水平之后就再也没讲过这门外语,你的大脑可能还没有抓住这些双语优势。然而,在成人阶段开始语言学习的人们仍然可以达到和年少学生一样的流利程度,也同样可以收获相同的认知优势。
You become smarter
变得更聪明
Speaking a foreign language improves the functionality of your brain by challenging it to recognise, negotiate meaning, and communicate in different language systems. This skill boosts your ability to negotiate meaning in other problem-solving tasks as well.
讲外语会迫使你的大脑去识别、调整语义,并且在不同的语言系统中交流,以此提升大脑的功能。此技能也会帮助你在解决其他问题时懂得调整。
Students who study foreign languages tend to score better on standardised tests than their monolingual peers, particularly in the categories of maths, reading, and vocabulary.
学习外语的学生,和只会讲一种语言的同学相比,更倾向于在标准化考试中取得更好的成绩,尤其是在数学、阅读和词汇这些范畴。