Does Being Bilingual Make You Smarter?

[drunkenshoe]

We have been discussing the issue of bilingualism from different aspects for a long time among a few bilingual friends. People who have learned a foreign language under 18 -not studied it as a major in a univ- and have been using actively all their lives in every form. We are around age 37-40. Everyone is having similar experiences, however we usually talk about social and language outcomes. I just looked a little into the neuroscientific aspect after seeing some nerd video. I have never thought that it could actually be something that shapes brain plasticity and can directly affect our cognitive abilities, intellectual capacity, fight against demantia and alzhemiers, may be even can prevent those...etc. Apparently, it changes the grey matter density in our brains.

ANyone interested? Any experiences?


Bilingual Brains Better Equipped to Process Information

http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2014/11/bilingual-brains-better-equipped-to-process-information.html#sthash.IbEN7TzA.dpuf

Structural plasticity in the bilingual brain
Proficiency in a second language and age at acquisition affect grey-matter density

http://faculty.washington.edu/losterho/mechelli_l2_vmb.pdf

Bilingual Benefits: How Learning Another Language Keeps Your Mind Sharp, No Matter Your Age

http://www.medicaldaily.com/bilingual-benefits-how-learning-another-language-keeps-your-mind-sharp-no-matter-your-310308

Light hearted nerd video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXeDNkVauh4

[Solitary]

I think it does, and I think anything that challenges us mentally does. I have a problem with Spanish being confused with Italian. I love both of these languages because, accept for gender words and multiple verbs, they make more logical sense than English. AEIOU are always the same sound, like Japanese. I have no problem speaking these because I played trumpet for years. That is probably why so many great trumpet players are Italian and Spanish, because of trilling R's. You want to have fun, try learning Farmer Dutch and pronouncing it correctly. Cough! 

[drunkenshoe]

How can anyone confuse Spanish with Italian? They sound so different.

Oh and yeah Dutch.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

I astermaed igpa atinla.. Eesa? Iliguala..

Translation: I mastered pig Latin. See? Bilingual.

[Solitary]

How can anyone confuse Spanish with Italian? They sound so different.

Oh and yeah Dutch.

Come Sta!  Como Sta! lul He! He!

[AllPurposeAtheist]

Come Sta!  Como Sta! lul He! He!

Hey! Speek Merkin dammit! 

[Solitary]

æˆ'掌握了拉丁语太翻è¯'çš,,猪 Fungula! 

[Hijiri Byakuren]

I don't know if it makes you smarter, but it is proven to make your brain more active, which is instrumental for minimizing the effects of old age and/or Alzheimer's on the brain.

[the_antithesis]

Smarter, no, but much better in bed. Oh the things a bilinguist can do with their tongues...

[drunkenshoe]

Smarter, no, but much better in bed. Oh the things a bilinguist can do with their tongues...

http://linguisticcodes.blog.com/2011/03/26/bilingual-sex-take-two/

[Solitary]

Smarter, no, but much better in bed. Oh the things a bilinguist can do with their tongues...

Smarter, no, but much better in bed. Oh the things a bilinguist can do with their tongues...

Trumpet players can to it better. They can triple tongue and quadruple tongue----so the saying, "welcome to my quad." He! He! In my opinion there is no better sex than without love being involved, just too people enjoying raw sex anyway that brings pleasure to both parties, or three, or four, or five, or-------------with no jealousy involved.   

[Mike Cl]

Smarter, no, but much better in bed. Oh the things a bilinguist can do with their tongues...

Hmmmm.......................how is that not smarter?????!!

[the_antithesis]

Hmmmm.......................how is that not smarter?????!!

Because if they were, they'd be with another bilinguist.

Or a trumpet player.

[Solitary]

I have to admit that Italians may have an advantage talking with their mouths, tongues, fingers, arms, and fists. 

[Mike Cl]

Because if they were, they'd be with another bilinguist.

Or a trumpet player.

I understand that trombone players have more control.