Johnson: Do Different Languages Confer Different Personalities?
Have you ever wondered if babies born in a multilingual or bilingual environment have a higher chance of having different personalities than those who speak one language only ? Johnson's article provides good information on how multilingualism affects people's personalities. Actually, if you never knew it, bilingual people do have a better chance at scoring higher on tests and perform various tasks better.
If a person is the master of two languages, that does not automatically make them symmetrically bilingual. One language norm can interfere with the second one and a lot of times cause mistakes in speaking, reading or writing. A great example is the Greek language. Johnson says that Greeks always interrupt each other, but it's only because the Greek style of speaking always starts with a verb. By the time a greek person begins a sentence, the other people already know what they are trying to say. How would this influence a Greek preson that also has English as a second language ? I personally believe that if the person was to be in America, they would have to get used to the fact that English doesn't always start with a verb and that they would have to finish a sentence first in order to be completely understood. It is very hard to adapt with a new language if the natal language is spoken differently.
R.L.G. Johnson. Do different languages confer different personalities? Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/blogs/prospero/2013/11/multilingualism
Have you ever wondered if babies born in a multilingual or bilingual environment have a higher chance of having different personalities than those who speak one language only ? Johnson's article provides good information on how multilingualism affects people's personalities. Actually, if you never knew it, bilingual people do have a better chance at scoring higher on tests and perform various tasks better.
If a person is the master of two languages, that does not automatically make them symmetrically bilingual. One language norm can interfere with the second one and a lot of times cause mistakes in speaking, reading or writing. A great example is the Greek language. Johnson says that Greeks always interrupt each other, but it's only because the Greek style of speaking always starts with a verb. By the time a greek person begins a sentence, the other people already know what they are trying to say. How would this influence a Greek preson that also has English as a second language ? I personally believe that if the person was to be in America, they would have to get used to the fact that English doesn't always start with a verb and that they would have to finish a sentence first in order to be completely understood. It is very hard to adapt with a new language if the natal language is spoken differently.
R.L.G. Johnson. Do different languages confer different personalities? Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/blogs/prospero/2013/11/multilingualism
Why Bilinguals Are Smarter?
The New York Times wrote an article that explains that babies who are bilingual are smarter than those who speak one language only. Bilinguals seem to be more adept than monolinguals at solving mental puzzles. In a 2004 study done by Ellen Byalistok, preschoolers were asked to sort blue and red circles in a blue and red box. The children who were bilingual succeeded faster and with more accurate results. While some people underestimate bilingual people, studies show the opposite. I find this article fascinating. It definitely taught me something I never knew before.
Matter, G. (2012, March 17). Why bilinguals are smarter. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/opinion/sunday/the-benefits-of-bilingualism.html?emc=eta1&_r=0
Picture credits to : http://wisciblog.com/2013/01/28/are-bilingual-people-smarter/
The New York Times wrote an article that explains that babies who are bilingual are smarter than those who speak one language only. Bilinguals seem to be more adept than monolinguals at solving mental puzzles. In a 2004 study done by Ellen Byalistok, preschoolers were asked to sort blue and red circles in a blue and red box. The children who were bilingual succeeded faster and with more accurate results. While some people underestimate bilingual people, studies show the opposite. I find this article fascinating. It definitely taught me something I never knew before.
Matter, G. (2012, March 17). Why bilinguals are smarter. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/opinion/sunday/the-benefits-of-bilingualism.html?emc=eta1&_r=0
Picture credits to : http://wisciblog.com/2013/01/28/are-bilingual-people-smarter/
What is Multilingualism and Bilingualism ?
Who can teach you better about multilingualism if not the linguistic society itself that devotes all the time and studies on language ? I believe this research paper will be interesting and attractive to immigrants and those who speak more than one language.
If your English is not that good and you don't really understand what bilingualism or multilingualism is, then go no further. STOP here and take a look at this article that explains what multilingualism and bilingualism are. I actually needed to read it first since I am myself an immigrant that needs to understand completely what this diversity of languages is about.
Guadalupe, V. ( 2012). Multilingualism. In Washington, DC: Linguistic Society of America. Retrieved from http://www.linguisticsociety.org/resource/multilingualism
Who can teach you better about multilingualism if not the linguistic society itself that devotes all the time and studies on language ? I believe this research paper will be interesting and attractive to immigrants and those who speak more than one language.
If your English is not that good and you don't really understand what bilingualism or multilingualism is, then go no further. STOP here and take a look at this article that explains what multilingualism and bilingualism are. I actually needed to read it first since I am myself an immigrant that needs to understand completely what this diversity of languages is about.
Guadalupe, V. ( 2012). Multilingualism. In Washington, DC: Linguistic Society of America. Retrieved from http://www.linguisticsociety.org/resource/multilingualism
Johnson: Bringing up Baby Bilingual
Many parents are afraid to teach their children a second language because they think it will interfere with the first one. As it turns out, this thinking is wrong.
Yes, in the early stages, babies will make mistakes such as mixing up words, but later on, there is no shortage of vocabulary words in both languages. Bilingual babies as young as seven months are already believed to be more mentally developed than monolingual babies.
Berlin, R. (2013). Johnson: Bringing up baby bilingual. The Economist, Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/blogs/prospero/2013/10/multilingualism-0
Many parents are afraid to teach their children a second language because they think it will interfere with the first one. As it turns out, this thinking is wrong.
Yes, in the early stages, babies will make mistakes such as mixing up words, but later on, there is no shortage of vocabulary words in both languages. Bilingual babies as young as seven months are already believed to be more mentally developed than monolingual babies.
Berlin, R. (2013). Johnson: Bringing up baby bilingual. The Economist, Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/blogs/prospero/2013/10/multilingualism-0
American Media has Significant Impact on European Attitudes
You can find thousand of articles on how American culture is globalizing the whole world, but this one especially caught my attention because it is written by a college student, Mathew English that is exposing his opinion on American culture. He especially pays attention to YouTube. YouTube is a world-wide known site. English mentions that some of his colleagues who are European showed him more Americanized YouTube videos that he never knew existed. American culture is quickly spreading thorough the whole world, but in the end, it is our decision whether we want to be influenced by it or not.
English, M. (2010, October 8). American media has significant impact on European attitudes. Collegiate Times. Retrieved from http://www.collegiatetimes.com/stories/16300/american-media-has-significant-impact-on-european-attitudes
Header picture credit : http://rising.globalvoicesonline.org/projects/citizen-media-and-underrepresented-languages/
You can find thousand of articles on how American culture is globalizing the whole world, but this one especially caught my attention because it is written by a college student, Mathew English that is exposing his opinion on American culture. He especially pays attention to YouTube. YouTube is a world-wide known site. English mentions that some of his colleagues who are European showed him more Americanized YouTube videos that he never knew existed. American culture is quickly spreading thorough the whole world, but in the end, it is our decision whether we want to be influenced by it or not.
English, M. (2010, October 8). American media has significant impact on European attitudes. Collegiate Times. Retrieved from http://www.collegiatetimes.com/stories/16300/american-media-has-significant-impact-on-european-attitudes
Header picture credit : http://rising.globalvoicesonline.org/projects/citizen-media-and-underrepresented-languages/