Languages are windows to different cultures, allowing us to connect with others from around the world. But learning a new language not just has a simple conversation or has access to different words, concepts.
A study by Dr. Thomas Bak who is a lecturer at Edinburgh's School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences showed that bilingual (双语的) young learners performed better on attention tests and had better concentration than those who spoke only one language. Dr. Bak tested 853 participants in 1947, when they were all 11 years old, and retested them when they were in their early 70s. He found that bilingual learners performed better than expected. The strongest effects were seen in general intelligence and reading. The results showed that learning a new language in adulthood still has positive results.
There is another study visualize the benefits of learning a new language on the brain. The researchers conducted the study on two groups of scholars; one that studied languages and another that studied non-linguistic subjects. The MRI scans showed that the brains of the participants studying languages increased in size, while the brain sizes of the other group remained the same. The studies suggest the bilingualism improves the brain's executive (可执行的) function. Learning another language is one of the most effective and practical ways to increase intelligence, keep your mind sharp, and buffer (减缓) your brain against aging.
“As a language learner, you'll not only become a more conscious thinker and listener who can communicate clearly and think creatively, but you'll also gain the most significant benefit of multilingualism: A broader, more global perspective, writes Dan Roitman of Pimsleur in the Huffington Post.
