When adults are surveyed about the value of learning another language, most respond in terms of immediate personal benefit, such as greater marketability or professional opportunities, or in terms of less tangible benefits, such as increased respect for and awareness of other cultures. But the true benefits of learning an additional language are far broader than that.
• Their oral and written communication is richer and more inventive.
他们的口头和书面表达更丰富,且更具有创造性。
• They display a better grasp of grammar.
他们也能更好地掌握语法。
• They score higher on certain intelligence tests.
他们在某些智力测验上往往能取得高分。
More surprisingly, some distinctions can be seen at a very early age. Research shows that infants raised in a bilingual environment show cognitive gains over their monolingual-environment age peers. They learn faster (that is, they adapt more quickly to new stimuli).13 It is the very exposure to a second language that appears to be stimulating neural pathways and enhancing cognitive capabilities at this age. In fact, bilingual children show consistent advantages in processing both verbal and non-verbal information. There is now evidence that suggests that being bilingual may slow the brain's aging process. 14