Brain-based research on bilingualism

Language Acquisition and Baby Talk Synthesis

                Babies’ language development is greatly influenced by their home language environments. Since babies in their mothers’ wombs become able to hear at around 20 weeks, their language acquisition starts before they are born. Even after they are born, “babies as young as seven months can distinguish between, and begin to learn, two languages with vastly different grammatical structures” (University of British Columbia, 2013). Bilingualism has already started at this point. Around eight months of age, they start to babble, which is a sign of trying to imitate spoken words. According to University of Iowa (2014), “infants whose mothers responded to what they thought their babies were saying, showed an increase in developmentally advanced, consonant-vowel vocalizations, which means the babbling has become sophisticated enough to sound more like words”. This means babies learn language based on what they hear. Since they attend to their caregivers’ conversations and try to understand the meanings, they will be able to separate the use of the two languages if they are raised in bilingual environments. Therefore, the researchers consider that “the best way for children to learn a second language is through social interactions and daily exposure to the language” (University of Washington, 2011).

Language Acquisition and the Impact of Speaking More Than One Language

                Even though there may still be a concern that bilingual children may get confused about the use of two languages, speaking more than one language has positive impacts on the way languages are acquired. According to Association for Psychological Science (2013), bilinguals have two different sounds systems and they can switch between one language and the other by using the sound systems, if they learn two languages at an early age. In addition, University of Haifa (2011) explains “languages reinforce one another, and provide tools to strengthen phonologic, morphologic and syntactic skills. These skills provide the necessary basis for learning to read”. By gaining this strong basis, bilinguals develop a critical cognitive function, which allows them to smoothly learn another language. Moreover, “bilingualism serves as enrichment for the brain and has real consequences when it comes to executive function (Northwestern University, 2012)”. Therefore, “bilingual children develop a better working memory (University of Granada, 2013)” and “are faster and more efficient in certain tasks in which executive functions are used due to a different form of cerebral control (Universitat Jaume I, 2010)”. Bilinguals seem to be able to efficiently develop their language skills.  

Impact of Second Language Acquisition After Adolescence

                According to Cell Press (2012), “lifelong experience in managing attention to two languages reorganizes specific brain network, creating a more effective basis for executive control and sustaining better cognitive performance throughout the lifespan”. This means second language acquisition after adolescence presents several benefits in daily life. One of the benefits is that bilinguals can focus on what really matters and ignore what doesn’t (Northwestern University, 2014). This is because they are better at filtering out the competing words since their brains are used to controlling two languages and inhibiting the irrelevant words (Northwestern University, 2014). Since bilinguals develop better inhibitory control, they can work more effectively and efficiently than monolinguals. Another benefit is that bilingualism may delay aging. As one ages, his or her cognitive flexibility declines. However, since speaking more than one language can constantly stimulate cognitive activity, consequently, it can prevent cognitive function from slowing down. Northwestern University's Viorica Marian (2014) describes, "Using another language provides the brain built-in exercise. You don't have to go out of your way to do a puzzle because the brain is already constantly juggling two languages". This may also play a protective role against Alzheimer's disease and dementia.