Advantages and benefits of language learning . In this study, bilingual and monolingual Greek/English participants were shown different shades of blue and light blue as well as green and light green (for which a distinction is not made in Greek) and ERPs were recorded. Many would argue that bilingualism is becoming a progressively necessary and essential skill for anyone who wants to keep up with today’s rapidly increasing global economy. (Masciantonio 1977, Saunders 1998, Andrade, et al. Learning a new language inspires and encourages you to explore a culture that you have previously only had a slight knowledge of or, worst still, no knowledge of whatsoever. Some obvious, some surprising. I hope that such knowledge will help to pull you through all language-learning plateaus. Read more about reading more efficiently here. Treat is a language-learning manifesto. ), 11. Many language courses involve working in groups and making formal presentations in front of an audience. – (. It helps us understand communities better as people with a common language may have common origin.Disadvantages:a. What will I study as a linguistics major? Very often, the true meaning of words is lost during the translation. You will become better at playing instruments, Other studies reviewed in the same article showed that, 59. b. But is it really only about communication? Overcoming these adversities is what boosts your confidence and builds character. “It’s surprising that a short 15-minute test involving the perception of visual shapes could predict to such a large extent which of the students who came to study Hebrew would finish the year with a better grasp of the language,” says Frost. You acquire new perspectives and skills that help you express yourself better and understand others more completely. I was encouraged and praised for my language skills, even though I made dozens of mistakes. For example, Bantus migration can be traced. There are many reasons why people leave their homeland and move to other places. Advantages and disadvantages of linguistics as a source of information. Their brains worked faster, pulling information and identifying problems in a more logical fashion. True! As your brain works to process a new language, memory, reasoning, and analytical thinking are heightened. Andrea Stocco and Chantel S. Prat of the University of Washington who conducted the research say the findings are in line with previous studies showing that bilingual children show superior performance on non-linguistic tasks. Another benefit of learning a foreign language is being able to understand and appreciate the arts of another country at a more profound level. Of the subjects learning the new vocabulary, those who were more successful in attaining the information showed a more connected brain network than both the less successful participants and those who did not learn the new vocabulary. They want to learn one language for the sake of work/relationship, etc. The list is a work in progress. The constant flood of problems you face every day, helps you to become an efficient learner who knows what is important and what is not. Even ordinary holidays might turn into a love story! Language learning encourages the development of self-management skills. Although the report is about Brits, I would say that it’s a safe bet that language speakers are universally more attractive! This is the skill which many learners transplant into other areas of their life like improving their health, learning how to play an instrument,m, etc. That often makes you more aware and appreciative of the unique qualities within your own language, people, and culture. [1] A growing body of literature has linked the ability to delay gratification to a host of other positive outcomes, including academic success, physical health, psychological health, and social competence.” Source: Wikipedia. Date posted: June 10, 2018. A memory expert, polyglot, and an avid learner of everything he can lay his hands on - on the mission to help you redefine every aspect of your life thanks to better memory. You can never understand one language until you understand at least two. What’s more, knowledge of a foreign language conveys, among others, that you’re an intelligent, disciplined and motivated person. However, learning a second language draws your attention to the abstract rules and structure of language, thus makes you better at your first language. For example, Bantus migration can be traced. The stronger the edges going from one node to the next, the faster the nodes can work together, and the more efficient the network. This knowledge is invaluable!“Connecting and joining together with people we have never met and are not related to goes to the very soul and core of our being as humans.” Source:  http://www.qlanguage.com.hk/language-learning-increases-global-awareness-understanding/. Mixed metaphors and phrases change the way you think, and benefit abstract and creative thinking since you acquire multi-faceted view on the world. Should it be reading? So better not waste your time. You will learn other languages faster. We can and want to help! You will gain instant access to millions of new people who might be your potential partner. Your information is only as useful as your sources of information. (Horn &Kojaku 2001), Another study showed that high school seniors with two or more years of foreign language study showed significantly improved performance on achievement tests in English when compared with non-foreign language students. This article was very interested, and I really like it thank you. Understanding of your own language will increase, The research shows a high positive correlation between foreign language study and improved reading. I’m not a fan of multitasking since it’s harmful to your productivity. At that point, you can relax and use your language skills to acquire new knowledge effortlessly. Embracing foreign language learning increases your global awareness and understanding. Bilinguals outperform similar monolingual persons on both verbal and nonverbal tests of intelligence, which raises the question of whether ability in more than one language enables individuals to achieve greater intellectual flexibility (Bruck, Lambert, and Tucker, 1974; Hakuta, 1986; Weatherford, 1986). Learners with a musical background were found to be better at pronouncing the sounds of a second language and at perceiving the relevant contrasts between sounds in that new language. I’ll keep on updating it every couple of months. So I recently gave a talk at the University of Washington Scholar’s Studio. The more you immerse yourself in the new language, the more you hone your executive functions. Or visa versa? You will increase pattern recognition. (Armstrong 1997), Students who started kindergarten in the first Kansas City foreign language magnet schools in 1988 had surpassed national averages in all subjects by the time they reached fifth grade. The body of research has shown that bilingual individuals are better at such processes; suggesting an interaction between being bilingual and executive functions. (Grosse 2004). In the era of the internet, you can find friends in every corner of the world. mastering a language) you need to learn how to prioritize effectively. This phenomenon is also evident in Japanese. It seems that foreign-language speakers are more sensitive and observant when it comes to the words they hear and read. Linguistics has lots and lots and lots of applications. The main problem they usually encounter is deciding on what they should do. In it, I covered a couple things that I’ve already talked about here on my blog: the fact that, acoustically speaking, there’s no such thing as a “word ” and that our ears can trick us. The advantages of learning Applied Linguistics ... for students who wish to be an effective Second Language Teacher because the course aims both to identify issues in linguistics and to solve its problem. Moreover, as your empathy and knowledge of their culture grow, something magical begins to happen: you form a connection between your own culture and language to theirs, and you begin to gain a deeper and more profound understanding of your own language and culture. And since the brain has to work really hard to distinguish between different types of sounds in different languages, being bilingual leads to improved listening skills (, 4. You will learn consistency and persistence. It can be said that a culture is nothing without its language. While studying another language, you not only learn how to communicate in that language, you also get to know a lot about the country, the culture, and the people. I am glad you have enjoyed it! Growth of language-related brain areas after foreign language learning, Working memory development in monolingual and bilingual children, Cognitive and Linguistic Processing in the Bilingual Mind. The biggest problem is that so few people know that linguistics is a thing. Benefits of Linguistics Studying linguistics not only teaches you about languages, but also improves practical and intellectual skills! “The relation of bilingualism to intelligence”.Psychological Monographs75(546): 1–23. Language learning triggers a part of the brain known as the ventral striatum, a pleasure center that is activated when people are involved in activities such as sex, drugs, gambling or eating sugary foods. “Connecting and joining together with people we have never met and are not related to goes to the very soul and core of our being as humans.” Source: “In an age of global interdependence and increasingly multicultural and multiethnic society, early foreign language study gives children unique insight into other cultures and builds their cultural competency skills in a way that no other discipline can do. Looking for it in only one language isolates you from thousands of other sources, research results, etc. The findings could have broader implications beyond language learning. Electrophysiological measures showed a distinct pattern for the bilinguals indicating that they were perceiving the two colors as completely separate.”. Simply put, linguistics is the study of language, how it works, how it is acquired, and how people use it to communicate. Why bother? The young participants who spoke a second language had a clear advantage in working memory. “Growth of language-related brain areas after foreign language learning“.). To consider the advantages of using the methods in studying how linguistic variation influence everyday life, there are key terms to define: qualitative methods; quantitative method; linguistic variation. Thank you for your kind words. As you see, there are many skills you have to learn to master a language. References: Pablo Ripollés, Josep Marco-Pallarés, Ulrike Hielscher, Anna Mestres-Missé, Claus Tempelmann, Hans-Jochen Heinze, Antoni Rodríguez-Fornells, Toemme Noesselt. Participants each underwent two fMRI scans — one before the experiment began and one after — in order for the researchers to track neural changes. 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