The Benefits of Bilingualism
By Kyle Quilatan
Published on: October 4th, 2024
Bilingualism, the ability to speak two languages fluently, is growing steadily in Canada. In 2021, 6.6 million Canadians reported being able to speak two languages. This statistic only accounted for Canada’s two official languages: English and French.
In Canada, many immigrants and their children speak their native language alongside English or French. In this way, they maintain part of their cultural heritage while also adapting to Canadian culture. However, there are also other benefits of bilingualism aside from that.
Keep reading to learn more about how bilingualism can benefit you in more ways than one.
Improves cognitive function
According to an article from the National Library of Medicine, being bilingual helps to combat the natural weakening of one’s cognitive functions. In other words, speaking two languages enables people to fight against the cognitive decline that comes with aging by maintaining “natural reserve” — the ability to use the brain’s various networks and enhance brain functioning.
As we age, our brain networks will naturally be damaged over time. However, bilingualism allows us to tap into alternate networks and make up for damaged ones. Older bilinguals report improved memory and executive control compared to their monolingual counterparts.
Fights cognitive diseases
Aside from improving and maintaining overall brain health, bilingualism can actively help combat cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s. In a 2010 study of more than 200 patients, bilinguals reported showing initial symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease an average of five years later than monolinguals.
A follow-up study in 2012 compared the brains of bilingual and monolingual patients. Results showed the bilingual patients had a greater degree of physical damage in brain regions commonly associated with Alzheimer’s. Despite this, they still showed Alzheimer’s symptoms that were similar in severity to those of their monolingual counterparts. The bilingual patients had more physical signs of the disease and should have also had much worse symptoms than the monolingual patients, yet both groups performed on similar levels behaviourally.
Improves employment opportunities
Bilingualism can be very beneficial in the professional sphere. According to an article from Indeed, bilingualism facilitates better communication skills and a competitive edge in the job market. The article states there is a growing demand for multilingualism in industries such as healthcare, the social assistance sector, trade industries and education services. Some in-demand languages include Spanish, Chinese, French and Japanese.
A literature review from the Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers (CASLT) states that bilingualism has several occupational benefits. Bilinguals tend to earn more than their monolingual peers, have better job opportunities and labour mobility and often have higher chances of promotion. In 2011, Canadians who spoke both English and French in Quebec reported annual incomes that were an average of 37 per cent higher than those who spoke only one of the languages. In the rest of Canada, this number still came to around 15 per cent.
Makes it easier to learn a third language
Once you know two languages, it becomes much easier to learn a third. Bilinguals tend to display improved cognitive and sensory processing capabilities, meaning they do better at easily processing surrounding information and enjoy a sort of improved attention to detail. This ability may be what helps when learning a third language. Bilinguals focus on information from a new language while reducing interference from their first two, allowing them to learn faster. This is a skill that monolinguals struggle with when learning a second language since they often do not possess the same level of information-processing capabilities.
Overall, knowing two languages provides many more benefits than just being able to talk to more people. Although it is easier to learn a new language at a younger age, it is never too late to start. Consider looking for classes to begin your journey towards bilingualism and even multilingualism, and see what a wealth of language can do for you.