▲ Multilingual people usually have a good command of the languages they speak. But sometimes it happens out of the blue. The other part of how this happens lies in the way our brains work.
The way multilinguals handle language in their heads is complex and different from our common beliefs. When they try to say something, all the languages they know can be activated at the same time. As a result, they may unintentionally mix several different languages. What's more, this interference doesn't just happen in vocabulary, but also in grammar and intonation. "Our study shows that when bilingual or multilingual people speak, all the languages they know are activated," said Matte DeClerk, senior researcher at the Free University of Brussels. "For example, when a bilingual French-English speaker tries to say 'dog,' the French word comes to mind as well as the English word."
Switching language scenarios are often used to study language control in multilinguals. The errors people make when switching languages provide insight into how we use and control language in our heads. When bilinguals switch languages during a single conversation, a dominance reversal can be noticeable. Because bilinguals try to use both languages by suppressing the dominant language, the result is that the dominant language is slower to appear in the mind than the secondary language. Therefore, when immersed in a different language environment, the grammar of their native language can be affected.
Of course, most multilinguals have a good grasp of their native language grammar. But it shows that our languages change, actively compete, and interfere with each other over the course of our lives.
Some studies suggest that bilinguals perform better in activities that require them to focus on counterintuitive information. Some studies have also linked multilingualism to a delay in the onset of dementia symptoms. Of course, speaking multiple languages inherently has social benefits, such as interacting with different people.
Bilingualism can lead to confusion with the primary language, but it can also lead to changes in the structure of the brain of bilingual people and changes in the way they think about language.
Haneol Jung (2-6)¹ | Staff Reporter
1) haneol06@naver.com
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