Second Language and Bilingualism

What Are the Benefits and the Myths of Bilingualism?

Outline
Thesis: besides the advantage of improving and making communication easier, being able to speak two languages has other great benefits such as the fact that it stimulates intellectual growth, changes come more easily and there are more job opportunities. However, although there are many benefits, there are some that criticize bilingualism and state that it causes language delays and confusion, and other problems.

I. Definition of bilingualism

II. Benefits of bilingualism

A. Communication B. Intellectual growth C. Adaptable to change D. Job opportunities

III. Criticism A. Language delay B. Language confusion C. Other problems

Language is one of, if not the most important tools in communication. It can be a barrier in the communication process between two people if they aren’t speaking the same language. Even though there are dictionaries, conversation guides and online translators, it is time consuming to translate from one language to the other. That is why many people choose to learn a second language, or teach their children another language from an early age in order to avoid this problem. Besides the advantage of improving and making communication easier, being able to speak two languages has other great benefits such as the fact that it stimulates intellectual growth, changes come more easily and there are more job opportunities. However, although there are many benefits, there are some that criticize bilingualism and state that it causes language delays and confusion, and other problems.

Definition of bilingualism As the online version of the “Merriam-Webster” dictionary explains, the term bilingualism was first used in 1873 and it represents the ability of speaking two different languages. This ability can be developed in various ways such as living in communities where two languages are spoken, from family employees such as babysitters or house servants, or in school (“Bilingualism”). There are many other ways of learning a new language such as moving to another country, taking private lessons, or using self-learning books. Technology has advanced so much in the last years that almost everything is possible. Computer programs such as ‘Rosetta Stone’ can help a person to learn a new language. According to their website, there are 4 steps in learning a language: “learn naturally: without repetitive translation or monotonous drills”, “engage interactively: with a variety of activities and scenarios to motivate you”, “speak confidently and develop your conversational abilities via our proprietary speech recognition technology”, and lastly, “have fun – our method turns language learning into a fun and satisfying experience” (“How it Works”). Another way to acquire new language skills can also be obtain by using the internet and social networks where you can communicate with people from all over the world, speaking different languages. Lastly, perhaps the most common way is by having parents or other family members that speak two different languages.

Benefits of bilingualism Being able to speak more than one language has many advantages. Today’s world is very much interconnected and knowing another language than your native one can be of great service. Viorica Marian, Ph.D., who is the chair of the communication sciences and disorders at Northeastern University and associate professor of communication sciences and disorders, psychology and cognitive science, and Anthony Shook, a doctoral candidate in the department of communication sciences and disorders at the same university, show in their article “The Cognitive Benefits of Being Bilingual” that in 2006 in the European Union, the top three countries in which the population was bilingual were Luxembourg, with a bilingual population of 99%, Sweden with 97% and Latvia with 95%, while for the whole European Union, the percent of bilinguals was 56%. On the other hand, in the United States there only 19.73% of the population that spoke another language than English in 2007 (1-2). This shows that foreign languages are starting to be more and more valued and appreciated throughout Europe and the United States, and there are more and more bilinguals.

Communication The first advantage of bilingualism is the fact that communication is much easier, being able to relate to a foreigner on a deeper level. With the 7 billion population on Earth mark exceeded and hundreds of languages spoken all over the world, communication is difficult. Speaking two languages, one can easily communicate with more people, without wasting time translating through dictionaries or web-services, a translator or a conversation guide. Marian and Shook state that it is much easier to relate to a foreigner if you can understand his or her culture and values, which is easier if you speak the local language, and if you address the other person in their native tongue (8). Furthermore, knowing the native language of the person you are communicating with eliminates the risks of misunderstandings caused by translators, dictionaries or softwares. Even more, Reshma Jirage, who has a Bachelor of Science and a Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology, says that it enables you to understand expressions and formulations that wouldn’t make sense if translated into another language and it “entails a treasure of traditional and contemporary sayings, idioms, history and folk stories, music, movies, literature and poetry of different countries and cultures” (“Benefits of Being Bilingual”). Thus, bilingualism has indeed many advantages in communication and it improves and smoothens the process.

Intellectual growth The second benefit of bilingualism is the fact that it gives the opportunity for intellectual growth. Miranda Hitti, graduate of Duke University and a senior medical writer for WebMD, argues that the brain of bilingual people develops more densely. She states that the gray matter of the brain which is the “bulk of nerve cells within the brain” and is associated with language, memory and attention, is more developed in bilinguals than in monolinguals (“Being Bilingual Boosts Brain Power”). In addition, Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, columnist for the New York Times and staff writer at Science, says that being bilingual makes you smarter as it improves cognitive skills. Because both language systems are active at every moment, it forces the cognitive muscles of the brain to permanently work which strengthens them. He also adds that because of the strengthened muscles, the risk of dementia in old age is reduced (“Why Bilinguals Are Smarter”). Even more, in an article published by the Education Development Center, Inc. called “The Benefits of Being Bilingual”, it is explained that bilingual students benefit from it in school. Rafael M. Diaz, PhD, from the University of New Mexico, explains that because they constantly change languages, students develop more flexible approaches of thinking and the “ability to read and think in two different languages promotes higher levels of abstract thought” (qtd. in “The Benefits of Being Bilingual”). Furthermore, Kovacs, PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience obtained at SISSA, in Trieste, Italy and Mehler, PhD in Psychology obtained at Harvard University, affirm that research indicates that starting from the age of 7 months, bilinguals are more able to ignore information that is irrelevant (qtd. in “The Benefits of Being Bilingual”). Therefore, being able to speak two languages leads to a better intellectual growth, allows you to dismiss unnecessary information, and can shield you from future illnesses because of the strengthened brain muscles.

Adaptable to change Besides communication and intellectual growth, another benefit of bilingualism is that it makes bilingual speakers more adaptable to change. Bhattacharjee quotes Albert Costa, a researcher at the University of Pompeu Fabra in Spain, who says that because bilinguals have to change languages so often, “It requires keeping track of changes around you in the same way that we monitor our surroundings when driving.” (qtd. in “Why Bilinguals Are Smarter”). Another example when bilinguals are more adaptable to change is when they are relocating to a new city or country where their second language is spoken. Because they already know the local language, the transition is easier for them than it would be for a monolingual.

Job opportunities Lastly, another advantage of bilingualism is the fact that knowing more than one language offers more job opportunities. Today’s job market is very competitive and people are trying to gain every advantage they can in order to get a good, well-paid job. First of all, knowing two or more languages means that the job-seeker is more flexible and can multi-task more easily. Antonella Sorace, Professor of Developmental Linguistics at the University of Edinburgh, argues that “the bilingual child’s constant experience of having two languages available and inhibiting one when the other is activated enhances their ability to multitask in other domains” (14). Besides the multi-tasking advantage, in an article from Insider Daily, it is explained that bilinguals also have a wider choice when determining their career. Among them, there is the possibility of working in customer service, in touristic resort or hotel for example, the possibility of becoming an official translator, or a language teacher, working as an immigration worker, or in the business sector, for example in global trade (“Career Opportunities If You Are Bilingual”). Therefore, knowing a second language is one of the greatest advantages one can have when looking for a job.

Criticism Despite the benefits that come with knowing two or more languages, there are people that assert that bilingualism has in fact flaws and is harmful for children.

Language delay Some people claim that bilingualism causes children to develop a language delay. That is, to start speaking later than monolingual children. However, this assumption is false. Kendall King and Lyn Fogle from Georgetown University, say that there is no clear proof that bilingualism causes language delay. They quote De Houwer, PhD, which says “There is no scientific evidence to date that hearing two or more languages leads to delays or disorders in language acquisition. Many, many children throughout the world grow up with two or more languages from infancy without showing any signs of language delays or disorder” (qtd. in “Raising Bilingual Children: Common Parental Concerns and Current Research”). Therefore, language delay development in bilingual children is only a myth, having no real basis to it.

Language confusion The second criticism of bilingualism is the belief that it creates confusion. This means, that the child will use words from the two languages in the same sentence, not being able to differentiate between them. However, like the previous assumption, this is also false. King and Fogle say that one way of avoiding any possible confusion is by using the one-parent, one-language system in which one parent communicates with the child in only one language, and the other parent talks in the second language. Furthermore, they explain that using words from two languages at the same time is perceived as confusion, but is in fact “code-switching”. This shows “mastery of two linguistic systems”, not confusion (“Raising Bilingual Children: Common Parental Concerns and Current Research”). Suzanne Romaine from the Merton College, University of Oxford, author of the book “Bilingualism – Second Edition”, explains that there are three types of code-switching. Firstly, there is tag-switching, which “involves the insertion of a tag in one language into an utterance which is otherwise entirely in the other language, e.g. you know, I mean” (122). Secondly, there is inter-sentential switching which requires “greater fluency in both languages than tag switching” and it means switching from one language to the other anywhere in the sentence. For example, speakers start a sentence in one language and finish it in the second (123). Lastly, there is intra-sentential which occurs to those that are very fluent in both languages. It implies switching between languages “within the clause or sentence boundary, as in this example from Tok Pisin/English: What’s so funny? Come, be good. Otherwise, yu bai go long kot. – ‘What’s so funny? Come, be good. Otherwise, you’ll go to court’.” In addition, it may appear within words, meaning that a word from a language can take influences from the other, “for example, English words with Panjabi inflectional morphology, e.g. shoppa – ‘shops’.” (123). Thus, the second criticism is also mistaken, there being no confusion between languages but code-switching. Therefore, this is another myth, not a fact.

Other problems In addition to the language confusion and delay, there are some that claim that other problems as well are created by bilingualism. Among those problems, Tej K. Bhatia and William C. Ritchie explain in the book “The Handbook of Bilingualism” that there are some that believe that bilingualism can create mental retardation, low intelligence, and in some cases, even schizophrenia. However, there is little to no conclusive evidence that bilingualism in fact causes these problems (71). In addition, previously mentioned sources show that in fact, being bilingual increases intelligence, and helps prevent certain diseases because the brain muscles are more trained than those of monolinguals. Therefore, this critics of bilingualism have little support, and rather more evidence to disapprove it.

Conclusion To conclude with, over half of the world’s population is able to speak two or more languages, and the number is constantly growing. Bilingualism has many advantages such as easier communication and better understanding between people, it stimulates intellectual growth and makes changes easier to adapt to. In addition, knowing a second language gives you an important edge in the job market. Even though there is some criticism, there isn’t any proof to back it up. Therefore, bilingualism is something that should be encouraged because there is only to gain from it and nothing to lose.

Works Cited

Bhatia, Tej K. and William C. Ritchie. The Handbook of Bilingualism. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing, 2004. Print.
Bhattacharjee, Yudhijit. "Why Bilinguals Are Smarter." The New York Times 25 March 2012: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/opinion/sunday/the-benefits-of-bilingualism.html?_r=0. Web.
"Bilingualism." n.d. Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
<http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bilingualism>. Web.
Education Development Center, Inc. The Benefits of Being Bilingual. New York, n.d.
Hitti, Miranda. "Being Bilingual Boosts Brain Power." 13 October 2004 . WebMD. <http://www.webmd.com/parenting/news/20041013/being-bilingual-boosts-brain-power?lastselectedguid={5FE84E90-BC77-4056-A91C-9531713CA348}>. Web
Insider Daily. Career Opportunities If You Are Bilingual. 27 March 2012.
<http://www.ccmep.org/career-opportunities-bilingual>. Web.
Jirage, Reshma. "Benefits of Being Bilingual." 30 June 2012. buzzle.com. <http://www.buzzle.com/articles/benefits-of-being-bilingual.html>. Web.
King, Kendall and Lyn Fogle. "Raising Bilingual Children: Common Parental Concerns and Current Research." April 2006. Center for Applied Linguistics - CALdigest. <http://webdev.cal.org/development/resources/digest/digest_pdfs/RaiseBilingChildi.pdf>. Web
Marian, Viorica and Anthony Shook. "The Cognitive Benefits of Being Bilingual." 13 October 2012. The Dana Foundation. <http://www.dana.org/news/cerebrum/detail.aspx?id=39638>. Web
Romaine, Suzanne. Bilingualism - Second Edition. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishers Inc., 1995. Print.
Rosetta Stone. "How it Works." n.d. rosettastone.eu. <http://www.rosettastone.eu/personal/how-it-works>. Web.
Sorace, Antonella. "Two are better than one." Children in Scotland (January 2009: 14-15. <http://www.lel.ed.ac.uk/~antonell/CinS2009-article.pdf >. Web

Cited: Bhatia, Tej K. and William C. Ritchie. The Handbook of Bilingualism. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing, 2004. Print. Romaine, Suzanne. Bilingualism - Second Edition. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishers Inc., 1995. Print.