The benefits of learning a second language include: brain growth, postpone dementia, stimulate memory, improve attention and many more... We bring you some of them.

1. 13 benefits of learning a second
language:
The benefits of learning a second language include: brain growth,
postpone dementia, stimulate memory, improve attention and
many more... We bring you some of them.
In the old days, it used to be thought that learning two languages
created confusion in the mind . It was even thought that if one
language had been learned , there was no reason to bother
learning another. An even more extreme and absurd view was
that learning a second language could cause a kind of
schizophrenia or dual personality.

2. Some studies seemed to support the idea that learning two
languages ​
​
could be problematic , especially in children. Early
researchers noted that bilingual people tended to have smaller
vocabularies and slower access to words. However, today much
more is known about learning other languages, giving way to a
new perspective.
Advantages of learning another language
Today the attitude and disposition towards learning new
languages ​
​
is completely different. Knowing a new language allows
us, in addition to communicating with more people, to learn more
about that culture, how they think . And, what is better, it
provides a series of social, psychological and cognitive benefits.

3. 1. Optimise the brain
When learning a second language, the language centres in the
brain grow , which is one of its main benefits. Thus, the more you
learn, the more brain areas grow. In this sense, the researcher at
the Pompeu Fabra University of Barcelona, ​
​
Albert Costa, has
dedicated himself to studying it.
This researcher compares learning a language with practising a
sport. Costa assures that “it seems that there are areas that have
more grey matter, more density of neurons, in people who speak

4. two languages. Just like a tennis player builds muscle, speaking
languages ​
​
is mental gymnastics. Bilingualism sculpts the brain . ”
2. Delays dementia
More and more academics and experts on the subject believe that
bilingualism increases our cognitive reserve capacity . This "
warehouse " that the brain has is formed by all the stimulating
experiences that we have developed in our lives. For example,
studying, playing musical instruments, reading, or learning new
languages.
Thus, numerous investigations have linked bilingualism with cognitive
reserve and, consequently, have seen that it is associated with a delay in
the onset of Alzheimer's disease for up to five years . Similarly, the higher
this cognitive reserve capacity, the greater the delay in the appearance of
cognitive deterioration caused by aging.
3. Hear better
Being bilingual can lead to improved listening skills. It may seem
incredible, but this is because the brain learns to discriminate between
sounds better, in order to differentiate phonemes in one language from
another. Thus, the level of precision is such that bilingual people are able
to distinguish exactly two different noises.

5. A study conducted in the United Kingdom has even found that bilingual
children pay more attention to the speech of others than monolingual
peers, as well as better perceive unexpected changes in speech.
Furthermore, this increase in attention appears to be similar in
adulthood.
4. Be more sensitive to learning more languages
Learning a second language not only brings the benefits associated with
that learning, but also makes it easier to learn more languages. So babies
raised in bilingual homes can distinguish languages ​
​
they haven't even
heard before. In this way, the greater facility of sound discrimination will
make it easier to learn new pronunciations and to handle the new
language faster.

6. Thus, for example, only exposure to the different sounds in Spanish and
Catalan helps them to establish the difference between English and
French.
5. Memory expansion
Speaking more than one language means that the person has to have a
good ability to handle various sources of information when carrying out
a task. This is what the working memory consists of , the one in charge of
temporarily storing information in order to process it. It is essential in
many tasks. For example, mental calculation, relating concepts, and even
to interact with people.

7. Thus, research from the University of Granada and the University of
York (Canada) has found that children raised in a bilingual environment
have a broader , more efficient working memory. That is to say, they are
able to better manage the information when working with it.
6. Improved cognition
In addition to what was mentioned above and in relation to it, it has been
found that bilingual people have a better ability to change from one task
to another more quickly . This is called cognitive flexibility and it allows
these people to adapt more easily to unexpected circumstances.
Related to working memory, multitasking and attention is cognitive
control, which has also been seen to be higher in bilingual people .
Apparently, this could be due to the need to monitor both languages ​
​
in
order to consider which is more appropriate in each situation.

8. 7. Improve attention
Bilingualism has also been linked to greater control over attention ,
being better able to limit distractions. Albert Costa, again, affirms that
“bilingualism influences attention capacity. Being used to changing
languages ​
​
improves the ability to concentrate when doing a task”.
8. New perspectives
Learning a new language can literally change the way you see the world.
Each language, and therefore each culture , has peculiarities in its
vocabulary. Thus, there are words that exist in one language and not in
another, but this does not mean that this concept or object does not exist
in both. It just turned out to be more relevant to a certain culture. Thus,
learning a new language can change the perception of the environment
and the sensitivity towards certain aspects.

9. Learning Japanese, for example, which has basic terms to describe
colours (colours are proper names of people, male or female, for
example: Midori (green and a girl's name), can help you perceive colour
in different ways.
9. Improve communication
The learning of a second language increases the attention we pay to the
rules and structure of the abstract language , which can make it better in
your mother tongue. That is, more attention is paid to the language itself,
I feel more aware of the nuances and meanings that a sentence can have.
Therefore, it also improves verbal and non-verbal communication.

10. Learning new intonations and pronunciations, for example, increases the
repertoire and makes it easier to move freely through all the possible
expressions, as needed. Thus, this can be a long-term advantage in
everyday life, improving the ability to relate to other people.
10. Encourage critical thinking
Thinking about how others think and express themselves makes us, on
the one hand, reflect on how we think and express ourselves and thus be
self-critical . On the other hand, thinking about how other people build
their speech, how they intonation and what they give importance to
when they speak is a powerful tool to understand points of view other
than their own.

11. As Geoffrey Willans said “ You can never understand one language until
you understand at least two. “
11. Better job opportunities
Candidates with extensive language skills are in demand at all
companies. This is because we live in an increasingly globalised world
and large international companies expect their employees to be able to
communicate with people from all over the world.

12. A survey of British companies showed that employees with very good
command of another language tend to be paid more proficient than those
without these skills.
12. Travel is much more enjoyable
When learning a new language, vacations are lived from another
perspective. For example, instead of staying in hotels or big tourist
resorts, you may find the courage to mingle with the locals and travel off
the beaten track and tour .

13. At first it can be a bit challenging. But, you will notice how open people
react when you approach them and try to speak their native language.
13. It allows you to experience other cultures
Learning a foreign language does not only focus on grammatical and
communicative aspects. But it also involves learning about the culture of
the country in which the language is used .

14. It is important to know about the daily life of the local people, their
traditions and their way of thinking. In this sense, a new language can
broaden your horizons enormously .
In short, learning a second language will not only allow you to
communicate with more people in the world, but it is a change in the
short and long term . Speaking another language will gradually change
your brain and will also make you see things differently in the present.