學(xué)外語(yǔ)不僅是豐富你的簡(jiǎn)歷或者方便旅行。學(xué)外語(yǔ)會(huì)讓你更聰明，更果斷，甚至讓你的母語(yǔ)更棒，語(yǔ)言學(xué)作家安妮?梅里特講到。
Physiological studies have found that speaking two or more languages is a great asset to the cognitive process. The brains of bilingual people operate differently than single language speakers, and these differences offer several mental benefits.
生理研究發(fā)現(xiàn)能講兩種或以上的語(yǔ)言對(duì)于認(rèn)知過(guò)程大有幫助，是一筆莫大的財(cái)富。能講兩種語(yǔ)言的人們，其大腦運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn)方式和只能講一種語(yǔ)言的人是不同的，這種不同，帶來(lái)了好些腦力方面的幫助。
Below are seven cognitive advantages to learning a foreign language. Many of these attributes are only apparent in people who speak multiple languages regularly ? if you haven’t spoken a foreign tongue since your A levels, your brain might not be reaping these bilingual benefits. However, people who begin language study in their adult lives can still achieve the same levels of fluency as a young learner, and still reap the same mental benefits, too.
以下是學(xué)習(xí)一門(mén)外語(yǔ)的七個(gè)認(rèn)知優(yōu)勢(shì)。這其中的很多特質(zhì)只適用于頻繁講多種語(yǔ)言的人??如果你在達(dá)到初級(jí)水平之后就再也沒(méi)講過(guò)這門(mén)外語(yǔ)，你的大腦可能還沒(méi)有抓住這些雙語(yǔ)優(yōu)勢(shì)。然而，在成人階段開(kāi)始語(yǔ)言學(xué)習(xí)的人們?nèi)匀豢梢赃_(dá)到和年少學(xué)生一樣的流利程度，也同樣可以收獲相同的認(rèn)知優(yōu)勢(shì)。
You become smarter
變得更聰明
Speaking a foreign language improves the functionality of your brain by challenging it to recognise, negotiate meaning, and communicate in different language systems. This skill boosts your ability to negotiate meaning in other problem-solving tasks as well.
講外語(yǔ)會(huì)迫使你的大腦去識(shí)別、調(diào)整語(yǔ)義，并且在不同的語(yǔ)言系統(tǒng)中交流，以此提升大腦的功能。此技能也會(huì)幫助你在解決其他問(wèn)題時(shí)懂得調(diào)整。
Students who study foreign languages tend to score better on standardised tests than their monolingual peers, particularly in the categories of maths, reading, and vocabulary.
學(xué)習(xí)外語(yǔ)的學(xué)生，和只會(huì)講一種語(yǔ)言的同學(xué)相比，更傾向于在標(biāo)準(zhǔn)化考試中取得更好的成績(jī)，尤其是在數(shù)學(xué)、閱讀和詞匯這些范疇。
You build multitasking skills
擁有同時(shí)執(zhí)行多項(xiàng)任務(wù)的技能
Multilingual people, especially children, are skilled at switching between two systems of speech, writing, and structure. According to a study from the Pennsylvania State University, this “juggling” skill makes them good multitaskers, because they can easily switch between different structures. In one study, participants used a driving simulator while doing separate, distracting tasks at the same time. The research found that people who spoke more than one language made fewer errors in their driving.
能講多種語(yǔ)言的人，尤其是小孩子，擅長(zhǎng)在兩種口語(yǔ)、寫(xiě)作和結(jié)構(gòu)系統(tǒng)中轉(zhuǎn)換。賓州州立大學(xué)的一項(xiàng)研究表明，這種“玩戲法”的技能讓他們能夠很棒地同時(shí)執(zhí)行多項(xiàng)任務(wù)，因?yàn)樗麄兛梢暂p易地在不同架構(gòu)中轉(zhuǎn)換。在一項(xiàng)研究中，參與者在使用模擬駕駛系統(tǒng)的同時(shí)做了其他分散注意力的事情。研究發(fā)現(xiàn)能講多種語(yǔ)言的人在這種駕駛過(guò)程中更少出錯(cuò)。
You stave off Alzheimer’s and dementia
延緩老年癡呆或者其他癡呆癥
Several studies have been conducted on this topic, and the results are consistent. For monolingual adults, the mean age for the first signs of dementia is 71.4. For adults who speak two or more languages, the mean age for those first signs is 75.5. Studies considered factors such as education level, income level, gender, and physical health, but the results were consistent.
針對(duì)這一話題開(kāi)展過(guò)多項(xiàng)研究，結(jié)果是一致的。對(duì)于只講一種語(yǔ)言的成人，初現(xiàn)癡呆癥狀的平均年齡是71.4。對(duì)于能講兩種或者以上語(yǔ)言的成人，平均年齡為75.5。這些研究考慮了諸如教育、收入、性別和身體健康等多方面的因素，但結(jié)果都是一致的。
Your memory improves
提高記憶力
Educators often liken the brain to a muscle, because it functions better with exercise. Learning a language involves memorising rules and vocabulary, which helps strengthen that mental “muscle.” This exercise improves overall memory, which means that multiple language speakers are better at remembering lists or sequences. Studies show that bilinguals are better at retaining shopping lists, names, and directions.
大腦越用越靈活，所以教育者通常將大腦比作肌肉。學(xué)習(xí)一門(mén)語(yǔ)言需要記憶規(guī)則和詞匯，這些有助于鍛煉你的認(rèn)知“肌肉”。這樣的鍛煉會(huì)全面提升你的記憶力，這意味著能講多種語(yǔ)言的人更擅長(zhǎng)于記憶列表或者次序。研究顯示，雙語(yǔ)學(xué)習(xí)者更擅長(zhǎng)記住購(gòu)物清單、人名和方位。
You become more perceptive
更能明察事理
A study from Spain’s University of Pompeu Fabra revealed that multilingual people are better at observing their surroundings. They are more adept at focusing on relevant information and editing out the irrelevant. They’re also better at spotting misleading information. Is it any surprise that Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot are skilled polyglots?
來(lái)自西班牙龐培法布拉大學(xué)的一項(xiàng)研究揭示：講多種語(yǔ)言的人更會(huì)觀察他們周?chē)沫h(huán)境。他們更擅長(zhǎng)于集中注意力在相關(guān)信息上，同時(shí)排除無(wú)關(guān)干擾，他們也更擅長(zhǎng)于找出迷惑性信息。名偵探夏洛克?福爾摩斯和赫爾克里?波洛都通曉多種語(yǔ)言，你還覺(jué)得驚奇么？
Your decision-making skills improve
更會(huì)做決定
According to a study from the University of Chicago, bilinguals tend to make more rational decisions. Any language contains nuance and subtle implications in its vocabulary, and these biases can subconsciously influence your judgment. Bilinguals are more confident with their choices after thinking it over in the second language and seeing whether their initial conclusions still stand up.
據(jù)來(lái)自芝加哥大學(xué)的一項(xiàng)研究，能講兩種語(yǔ)言的人傾向于做出更理性的決定。任何語(yǔ)言的詞匯都包含細(xì)微的差別和微妙的暗示，而這些偏差會(huì)潛意識(shí)地影響你的判斷。能講多種語(yǔ)言的人會(huì)用第二語(yǔ)言考慮自己最初的結(jié)論是否成立，之后他們會(huì)對(duì)自己的決定更加自信。
You improve your English
你的母語(yǔ)也會(huì)更棒
Learning a foreign language draws your focus to the mechanics of language: grammar, conjugations, and sentence structure. This makes you more aware of language, and the ways it can be structured and manipulated. These skills can make you a more effective communicator and a sharper editor and writer. Language speakers also develop a better ear for listening, since they’re skilled at distinguishing meaning from discreet sounds.
學(xué)習(xí)外語(yǔ)會(huì)將你的注意力集中在語(yǔ)言結(jié)構(gòu)本身：語(yǔ)法，詞形變化和句子結(jié)構(gòu)。這會(huì)增強(qiáng)你的語(yǔ)言意識(shí)，以及組織和操縱語(yǔ)言的能力。這些技能會(huì)讓你成為一個(gè)更有效的溝通者，更犀利的編輯和作家。語(yǔ)言學(xué)習(xí)者在這一過(guò)程中也成為更好的傾聽(tīng)者，因?yàn)樗麄兩瞄L(zhǎng)于通過(guò)嚴(yán)謹(jǐn)?shù)陌l(fā)言來(lái)區(qū)別不同的意思。
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