The fascinating reason why people who speak more than one language are smarter than others 會說超過一種語言的人比別人聰明的迷人理由


If you are about to devote some time to learning Spanish, French or Chinese, the chances are you have no idea just how positive an impact it will have on your mind. This experience can, in fact, fundamentally alter your mental abilities.
如果你即將花時間學西班牙文、法文或中文，你可能不知道這會對你的頭腦/想法有多少正面的影響，這個經驗，事實上，能從根本上改變你的心理能力。

A growing number of studies prove that people who speak more than one language have more flexible and more advanced modes of thinking. They are smarter, more creative in problem-solving and more responsive to their own emotions and feelings.
越來越多研究證實會說超過一種語言的人有更彈性且更高階的思考模式，他們更聰明、對問題解決更有創意且更會回應自己的情緒和感受。

When we can easily talk to foreigners in their native language, we perceive the world in a different way — the way they usually do. We start to see the value and importance of different perspectives. A language comprises a whole world, another universe with its own rules, tenses, colours and perceptions.
當我們能輕易地用對方的母語和外國人對話時，我們就能用另一個方式來看這個世界，也就是他們常用的方式，我們開始看到不同觀點的價值和重要性，語言是由一整個世界、另一個有規則的宇宙、時態、膚色和知覺所組成。

People who speak more than one language are able to think much more quickly, and more frequently find the right solutions.
會說超過一種語言的人能較迅速地思考，且更常找到對的解決方法
The New York Times has shared several studies conducted on people of all ages — they all have the same view that learning languages can significantly improve brain activity.
紐約時代雜誌分享了許多研究，探討所有年齡層的人—他們都抱持著相同的觀點，認為學語言能顯著地改善大腦的活動。

A study published by the American National Academy of Sciences researched cognitive gains in seven-month-old bilingual infants. Infants, raised with two languages from birth, develop rapidly, learn better and perfectly adapt to new environments.
美國國家科學院提出了針對會兩種語言的七個月大嬰兒的認知增加進行探討的研究，從出生開始就在雙語環境下長大的嬰兒，會成長的較快速、能更好地學習，且能完美地適應新環境。

Another study of 40 elderly bilingual people showed that bilingualism slows the onset of age-related diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
另一項針對40位會雙語的年長者的研究顯示，雙語能力可以減緩與年齡有關之疾病的發病，像是癡呆和阿茲海默症。

Scientists explain this phenomenon in the following way: since the brain is like a muscle, learning foreign languages and trying to adapt to these new (foreign) cognitive worlds on a daily basis serves as a great form of training which — like a physical workout — boosts the abilities of this muscle. The more you learn, the more flexible your brain becomes, and the longer your mind stays young.
科學家對這個現象的解釋如下：因為大腦就像是肌肉，每天學習外語且試著適應這些全新(外國的)認知的世界，是一種很棒的訓練─像是身體鍛鍊─增強肌肉的能力，你學得更多，你的大腦會變得更靈活，你的思想也能更長久地保持年輕。

If you can think in two languages, it allows you to “think outside of the box“ of your traditional perceptions.
如果你能用兩種語言思考，你的思想就能跳脫傳統的認知
Though it seems like an obvious fact, some studies were conducted on this subject as well. They found that if you have command of a foreign language, you’ll inevitably become a more creative person. Psychology Today found that people who are bilingual can easily respond to challenging tasks and come up with more creative, problem-solving answers.
雖然這似乎是一個明顯的事實，但有些研究也也對於這件事情進行探討，他們發現如果你對外語有控制能力，你無庸置疑地會成為一個更有創意的人，《今日心理學》雜誌發現會說兩種語言的人，能更容易地應對具有挑戰性的任務，且提出更有創意的問題解決方法。

Medical Daily reports on a study conducted on 120 students, and found that bilinguals are better at tasks that require advanced knowledge of languages, such as syntax, morphology and creative essays.
《醫療日報》報導了針對120名學生的研究，發現會雙語的人在需要程度較高的語言知識任務上表現得比較好，像是語法、構詞學和創意論文。

As Dr. Fraser Lauchlan, lead author of the study, stated: "Our study has found that bilingualism can have demonstrable benefits, not only in language but in arithmetic, problem solving and enabling children to think creatively. We also assessed the children’s vocabulary, not so much for their knowledge of words as their UNDERSTANDING of them. It allows them to see and perceive the world more deeply and intuitively."
此研究主要的作者Fraser Lauchlan博士宣稱：「我們的研究發現雙語能力擁有可被證實的益處，不只是在語言上，還有算數、解決問題並使孩童能夠創意性思考，我們也評估了孩童的字彙，評估他們對字彙的理解成分更高於對字彙的知識，讓他們更深入且直覺地看待和知覺這個世界。」

If children can speak several languages from early childhood, they are better equipped to understand various ideas and concepts, and will have a more streamlined thought process. Speaking two languages is like having two ”creative" brain regions. People who do not speak other languages don’t even have access to this additional creativity.
如果孩童在同年早期就能說許多語言，他們能更好地了解各式各樣的想法和概念，且會有更精簡的思考過程，說兩種語言就像是擁有兩個"創意的"大腦區域，不會說另一種語言的人，甚至沒有機會獲得這種附加的創造力。

Elite Daily writer Chris Riotta said that although he grew up in a primarily English-speaking household, he could speak Spanish from an early age because his father was from Argentina. It allowed him to learn more about different cultures and various communities, to learn more about himself and to develop his creative skills.
Elite Daily的寫手Chris Riotta表示，雖然他在一個主要是說英語的家庭下長大，但他在很小的時候就會說西班牙文，因為他的父親來自阿根廷，這讓他能學習到更多不同的文化和各式各樣的社會，也學到更多關於自我和發展他的創意技能。

"I can express myself better than pretty much everybody." ─Chris Riotta.
「比起許多人，我能更好地表達我自己。」─Chris Riotta.

Speaking two languages helps you understand the human heart.
會兩種語言能幫助你了解人的內心
Bilinguals are the best communicators. Susan Ervin-Tripp, from the University of California’s Psychology Department, has been studying the effects of learning multiple languages on human experience for years.
會說雙語的人是最好的溝通者，來自加州大學心理學系的Susan Ervin-Tripp在多年間研究了學習多種語言對人的經歷所帶來的影響。

Here is what she says: "When we are in situations demanding a change in language, we may have a strong sense of a shift in values and feelings. Some bilinguals even report they have two personalities which they can switch while thinking." And she’s right.
她說：「當我們處在需要語言轉換的情況下，我們對於價值觀和感受的轉變擁有強烈的感覺，有些會兩種語言的人甚至說他們擁有兩種個性，能夠在他們思考時轉換。」而且她說對了。

While we don’t know whether it’s possible to live two lives at the same time by learning an additional language, we do know that understanding languages can help us to better understand people who are different from ourselves, and to empathise with them.
雖然我們不知道是否有可能透過學習另一種語言同時擁有兩種生活，但我們知道了解語言能幫助我們更好地理解跟我們不同的人，並產生共鳴。

Language, in its various forms, can be used as a tool to help us understand our core morals, beliefs and even passions.
在語言許多不同的形式中，它可以被用來當成一種工具，幫助我們了解我們的核心道德、信仰，甚至是熱情。

Language unlocks the door to the heart by allowing us to better understand ourselves. In the end, it truly makes us more confident and liberated.
語言開啟了通往內心的那道門，使我們更了解自己，最後，它能真正地讓我們更有自信和自由。

Anyone who is bilingual already understands the importance and value of this skill. Join their ranks, and you will not regret it!
會雙語的人已經了解這個技能的重要性和價值，加入他們的行列，你不會後悔的！

原文網址：http://goo.gl/G0T3Kg 

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