The benefits of a bilingual brain - Mia Nacamulli

学习双语对大脑的益处 - 米亚·纳卡穆里

翻译人员: melody yang 校对人员: Geoff Chen

¿Hablas español? Parlez-vous français? 你会说中文吗？

¿Hablas español? Parlez-vous français? 你会说中文吗？

If you answered, "sí," "oui," or "会" and you're watching this in English,

如果你回答 "si" "oui" 或"会" 而且用英文观看这视频

chances are you belong to the world's bilingual and multilingual majority.

你很可能是属於 这世上双语或多语的大多数之一

And besides having an easier time traveling

除了旅行的时候比较容易

or watching movies without subtitles,

或是看电影不用字幕

knowing two or more languages means that your brain

会两种以上的语言，意谓你的大脑

may actually look and work differently than those of your monolingual friends.

运作的方式和你单语的朋友不同

So what does it really mean to know a language?

怎样才叫真的会一种语言？

Language ability is typically measured in two active parts, speaking and writing,

语言能力通常以说和写二个主动部分

and two passive parts, listening and reading.

和听和读二个被动部分衡量

While a balanced bilingual has near equal

平衡双语的人

abilities across the board in two languages,

两种语言的掌握能力是接近的

most bilinguals around the world know and use their languages

世上大多数的双语者 以不同的比例

in varying proportions.

了解和使用他们的语言

And depending on their situation and how they acquired each language,

根据他们的状况和每个语言不同的掌握

they can be classified into three general types.

双语者可以分成三种类型

For example, let's take Gabriella,

让我们以 Gabriella 为例

whose family immigrates to the US from Peru when she's two-years old.

她两岁的时候，家里从秘鲁移民到美国

As a compound bilingual,

作为一个复合双语者

Gabriella develops two linguistic codes simultaneously,

Gabriella 对一个概念的两种语言码

with a single set of concepts,

是同时发展的

learning both English and Spanish

她同时学习英语和西班牙语

as she begins to process the world around her.

来理解身边的世界

Her teenage brother, on the other hand, might be a coordinate bilingual,

他十几岁的哥哥，从另一方面来说 算是协调双语者

working with two sets of concepts,

用两组概念理解世界

learning English in school,

在学校学习英语

while continuing to speak Spanish at home and with friends.

在家还有跟朋友是说西班牙语

Finally, Gabriella's parents are likely to be subordinate bilinguals

Gabriella 的父母可能最后一种，从属双语者

who learn a secondary language

通过他们的母语

by filtering it through their primary language.

来学习第二者语言

Because all types of bilingual people can become fully proficient in a language

除了口音和发音之外，所有类型的双语者

最终都能透过学习流利使用语言

regardless of accent or pronunciation,

the difference may not be apparent to a casual observer.

因此如果只是随意观察 他们的差别并不明显

But recent advances in brain imaging technology

但是最新的大脑成像技术

have given neurolinguists a glimpse

让神经语言学家得以窥见

into how specific aspects of language learning affect the bilingual brain.

学习语言对双言者的大脑有哪些影响

It's well known that the brain's left hemisphere is more dominant

众所周知，大脑的左半部

and analytical in logical processes,

擅於逻辑进程的分析

while the right hemisphere is more active in emotional and social ones,

右脑则是对於情绪和社交较於活跃

though this is a matter of degree, not an absolute split.

不过这是程度上的问题 不是绝对的划分

The fact that language involves both types of functions

事实上语言和左右脑两边的功能都有关连

while lateralization develops gradually with age,

随著年纪增长，大脑发展会侧重一边

has lead to the critical period hypothesis.

这是关键期假说的来由

According to this theory,

根据关键期假说理论

children learn languages more easily

小孩学语言比较容易

because the plasticity of their developing brains

因为他们发展中的大脑较有弹性

lets them use both hemispheres in language acquisition,

让他们同时运用左右脑学习语言

while in most adults, language is lateralized to one hemisphere,

大部分的成人的语言学习

usually the left.

是侧重於左脑

If this is true, learning a language in childhood

如果这是事实，在小时候学习语言

may give you a more holistic grasp of its social and emotional contexts.

更能掌握社会和情感脉络

Conversely, recent research showed

相反地，最近的研究显示

that people who learned a second language in adulthood

在长大这学习第二语言的人

exhibit less emotional bias and a more rational approach

在第二语言上面临问题时 会采用更理性的方式

when confronting problems in the second language

相对於母语

than in their native one.

比较不会有情绪偏见

But regardless of when you acquire additional languages,

不过不论你何时学习语言

being multilingual gives your brain some remarkable advantages.

多语能力都能给予大脑相当好的益处

Some of these are even visible,

有些甚至看得见

such as higher density of the grey matter

像是大脑中的灰质呈现较高的密度

that contains most of your brain's neurons and synapses,

包含脑中的神经元和突触

and more activity in certain regions when engaging a second language.

投入第二语言时 大脑的特定区域也会更活跃

The heightened workout a bilingual brain receives throughout its life

而双语者大脑终生受到的锻炼

can also help delay the onset of diseases, like Alzheimer's and dementia

可延缓一些疾病的发生 像是阿尔茨海默氏症和痴呆症

by as much as five years.

达五年之久

The idea of major cognitive benefits to bilingualism

对於双语好处的认知

may seem intuitive now,

现在看来直观

but it would have surprised earlier experts.

稍早却会让专家们感到讶异

Before the 1960s, bilingualism was considered a handicap

六十年代以前

人们认为双语会阻碍孩童的发展

that slowed a child's development

by forcing them to spend too much energy distinguishing between languages,

因为强迫孩童花太多精力在区别两种语言

a view based largely on flawed studies.

但是这是基於有缺陷的研究

And while a more recent study did show

愈来愈多的近期研究指出

that reaction times and errors increase for some bilingual students

在跨语言的测试中

in cross-language tests,

有些双语学生的反应时间和错误都增多

it also showed that the effort and attention needed

同时也指出 转换语言需要更多的心力和注意力

to switch between languages triggered more activity in,

将触发大脑更多的活动

and potentially strengthened, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

并有可能加强背外侧前额叶皮层

This is the part of the brain that plays a large role

这是大脑用来执行功能、 解决问题、在不同任务间转换

in executive function, problem solving, switching between tasks,

和专注在过滤不相干资讯

and focusing while filtering out irrelevant information.

的主要部位

So, while bilingualism may not necessarily make you smarter,

因此，双语可能不必然让你更聪明

it does make your brain more healthy, complex and actively engaged,

但确实会让你的大脑更健康、健全和更能专注

and even if you didn't have the good fortune

即使你小时候未能

of learning a second language as a child,

学习第二种语言

it's never too late to do yourself a favor

帮助自己永远不迟

and make the linguistic leap from, "Hello,"

跨语言，就从 "Hello" 开始

to, "Hola," "Bonjour" or "你好’s"

到 "Hola"、"Bonjour" 或 "你好"

because when it comes to our brains a little exercise can go a long way.

这让我们的大脑做一些小小的运动 从而带给我们长远的帮助