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2010-05-31 08:03:45
A project at Bangor University aims to explore the benefit of being bilingual.
Researchers will be recruiting 700 people aged between two and 80 to take part
in the 750,000 programme.
Prof Virginia Gathercole said the obvious benefits included being able to
converse and to participate in two cultures.
But she said there was also evidence of non-language benefits, such as the
ability to protect the brain from ageing.
"The very act of being able to speak, listen, and think in two languages and of
using two languages on a daily basis appears to sharpen people's abilities to
pay close attention to a aspects of tasks relevant to good performance," she
added.
Running two parallel language systems throughout life has had positive
benefits in a number of ways
Prof Virginia Gathercole, Bangor University
Research carried out already had also shown having two languages helped protect
against the decline in the brain's abilities when ageing," she added.
"We already know that language processing is one of the most complex activities
that our brains carry out.
"Running two parallel language systems throughout life has had positive
benefits in a number of ways," she added.
One multilingualist, Phillip Hughes, 62, travelled widely with his work as a
teacher before his retirement. He said he found having two languages handy,
especially when he had to learn another one, German while living in Swizerland.
Case study - Phillip Hughes, 62 I think being able to speak two languages has
been of benefit, especially when I had to learn German when I worked in
Switzerland.
I learned it quickly and they said my pronunciation was good.
At home I spoke English as my mother spoke English, but outside I would speak
Welsh (and I also spoke Welsh in my sleep apparently).
I want my children to grow up speaking more than one language, and to
understand that it is important to speak more than English - especially if you
go off the beaten track.
He grew up in an English-speaking household, but spoke Welsh to his friends and
in the wider community, and was adamant that his children should also have
language skills.
Dr Enlli Thomas, who is collaborating on the project, said there was evidence
from Canada that being bilingual "may provide some protection against
age-related memory loss".
The Bangor research team are looking for people who are bilingual in Welsh and
English and monolinguals - or those who speak only one language - aged over 60
to take part in the research.
Participants take part in a set of simple language tests and then carry out
on-screen puzzles and tasks, similar to "brain games" played on hand-held games
consoles.
The researchers are looking for people who grew up in homes where only Welsh
was spoken, where both Welsh and English were spoken, and where only English
was spoken.
The research can be carried out either at the university or a researcher can
visit the participant.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/wales/north_west/8452843.stm
Published: 2010/01/12 12:03:18 GMT