Recent research suggests that bilingualism influences not only how individuals describe events but also how they perceive time, varying depending on the languages they speak. This flexibility in linguistic expression enables bilinguals to navigate diverse cognitive landscapes, fostering adaptability and versatility in their thinking processes. Unlike monolinguals, bilingual individuals possess the ability to seamlessly switch between languages, allowing them to approach challenges from multiple perspectives and adapt their communication style to different contexts.
This cognitive advantage conferred by bilingualism enhances their problem-solving skills and interpersonal interactions, ultimately contributing to a more enriched and fulfilling life. By embracing the complexities of language diversity, bilingual individuals harness their linguistic abilities to navigate an increasingly interconnected global society with confidence and agility.
Language shapes our thoughts.
The research by Professor Panos Athanasopoulos from Lancaster University has revealed that bilingual individuals demonstrate different cognitive patterns depending on the language they are using. Speaking other languages influences one’s recollection of events and how they perform basic tasks. Bilingual people can fluently switch between those two languages or cognitive states, providing an advantage over monolinguals. Athanasopoulos conducted research on bilinguals who speak both English and German. Participants are asked to watch video clips of routine activities, such as getting out of a supermarket and getting into a car, and they are requested to narrate their observations. Athanasopoulos found in the experiment that when participants speak English, they tend to focus on specific actions, whereas in German, they often describe the complete sequence of events. This indicates that the languages that one speaks profoundly influence how people perceive and remember events. Additionally, bilinguals constantly have their second language active in their minds, allowing them to have cognitive flexibility and enhanced thinking abilities (Lancaster University, 2015).
Bilingual people perceive time differently.
A study from Lancaster University and Stockholm University, published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology, revealed that bilingual individuals perceive time differently based on the language they speak to estimate event durations. This phenomenon is attributed to the fact that different languages often frame time in different ways. For instance, English and Swedish speakers relate time to physical distance, such as “taking a short break,” whereas Spanish speakers associate time with physical quantities and volume, like “taking a small break.” A study conducted by Professor Panos Athanasopoulos and Professor Emanuel Bylund, experts in linguistics, revealed the difference in estimated time in different languages. In the study, native Swedish speakers who are also proficient in Spanish were asked to estimate time while observing a line extending across a screen or a container gradually filling. When prompted with Spanish words like duration, the participants based their time estimation on volume.
On the other hand, when prompted with Swedish words, they shifted to distance-based estimation. Behind the study, the professors clarify that bilingual people frequently switch between their languages effortlessly and unconsciously to estimate time. This demonstrates how language influences various aspects of our perception, including emotions, visual understanding, and sense of time. Moreover, Professor Athanasopoulos suggests that bilingual individuals are more adaptable thinkers compared to those who are monolingual. He highlights that regular shifts in languages may become advantageous for learning, multitasking, and long-term mental well-being (Blair, 2020).
Conclusion
In summary, bilingualism exerts a profound influence on individuals’ cognitive processes and worldview. Research indicates that the languages one speaks impact memory formation and problem-solving approaches. Moreover, linguistic diversity extends to temporal concepts, affecting how individuals estimate and perceive time. These insights underscore the multifaceted ways in which language shapes human cognition, including emotional expression, visual comprehension, and temporal orientation. Bilingual individuals, therefore, benefit from cognitive advantages that enhance their quality of life compared to their monolingual counterparts. By navigating between multiple linguistic frameworks, bilinguals develop flexible thinking patterns and heightened cognitive abilities, enabling them to adapt more readily to diverse situations and cultures. Recognizing the cognitive benefits of bilingualism highlights the importance of promoting language diversity and fostering multilingualism in education and society at large.
Reference
Blair, O. (2020). Bilingual speakers experience time differently from people who only speak one language, a study finds. [online] INDEPENDENT. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/bilingual-speakers-time-different-people-one-language-study-swedish-spanish-a7715146.html [Accessed 22 September 2023]
Lancaster University. (2015). Speaking a second language makes you see the world differently. [online] Lancaster University. Available at: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/news/articles/2015/speaking-a-second-language-makes-you-see-the-world-differently/ [Accessed 22 September 2023].
