Harden Elkington
More than two billion people on the planet speak more than one language. (Although the numbers vary, many sources claim that over half of the world is bilingual or multilingual.)
One of the most frequent activities for these folks is code switching, which psychologists refer to as “language mixing,” when an individual switches languages within a single conversation or even a sentence.
So how does the brain do this without slowing down?
Theories about how the brain code switches
There are a few theories out there on how the brain code switches so seamlessly between languages. One theory is that different language areas in the brain are activated when different languages are spoken.
Another theory suggests that, rather than activating different language areas, the brain actually uses the same areas for both languages but with different dominant patterns.
The third theory suggests that bilinguals have more flexible control over their language processing than monolinguals, which allows them to switch between languages more easily.
So what does the research say?
A 2013 study published in the journal NeuroImage found evidence for all three of these theories.
The study looked at the brain scans of bilingual and monolingual participants as they spoke sentences in both their first and second languages.
The results showed that, although there were some similarities, there were also some differences in how the brain responded to each language.
For example, the study found that different areas of the brain were activated when bilinguals spoke their two languages, supporting the first theory.
But the study also found that bilinguals used the same areas of the brain for both languages, just with different dominant patterns, supporting the second theory.
And finally, the study found evidence that bilinguals have more flexible control over their language processing than monolinguals, which supports the third theory.
So what do all of these findings mean?
Although the research is still ongoing, it seems that the brain does use different areas for different languages when code switching.
But it’s also clear that bilinguals have more flexible control over their language processing, which allows them to switch between languages more easily.
This increased flexibility could be due to the fact that bilinguals are constantly code switching, which gives them more practice with switching languages. Or it could be due to some sort of bilingual advantage that we still don’t fully understand.
Regardless, the findings from this and other studies suggest that bilingualism is a really amazing thing and that learning multiple languages can have some pretty impressive benefits!
How are bilingual brains different?
Bilingual brains are different in a few ways.
Bilinguals have more gray matter than monolinguals
Gray matter is the part of the brain that is responsible for processing information. Bilinguals also have more white matter than monolinguals.
White matter is the part of the brain that helps cells communicate with each other.
Bilinguals have more neural connections than monolinguals
This means that the bilingual brain is better able to process information and make connections between different concepts.
Bilinguals have more flexible control over their language processing than monolinguals
This means that they can switch between languages more easily.
Bilinguals are better at multitasking than monolinguals.
This is because the bilingual brain is able to switch back and forth between different tasks more easily.
Bilinguals are better at inhibiting their responses than monolinguals
This means that they are better able to stop themselves from responding when they don’t want to.
- Related post: Being Bilingual Affects Your Brain And The Benefits
- Related post: Reading Can Change And Rewire Your Brain
How easy is it to switch between languages?
Switching between languages is not always easy. It depends on a few things, such as how often you use each language and how similar the two languages are.
If you use two languages equally, it will be easier to switch between them than if you use one language more than the other. And if the two languages are similar, it will be easier to switch between them than if they are different.
For example, let’s say you use English and Spanish equally. And let’s say that English is your native language and Spanish is your second language.
In this case, it would be easier for you to switch between English and Spanish than it would be for someone who only uses Spanish. This is because English and Spanish are similar languages, so you would have more practice switching between them.
On the other hand, let’s say you only use Spanish. In this case, it would be harder for you to switch between English and Spanish than it would be for someone who uses both languages equally.
This is because English and Spanish are different languages, so you would have less practice switching between them.
In general, the more practice you have switching between two languages, the easier it will be to switch between them.
So if you want to get better at switching between languages, the best thing to do is use both of them equally!
How do you switch your brain?
There is no one answer to this question since everyone’s brain is different. However, some things that may help include:
- Using both languages equally
- Practicing switching between languages
- Being exposed to both languages from a young age
- Having a good understanding of both languages
- Creating a language-rich environment at home or in school
- Having friends or family who speak both languages
The bottom line
Bilinguals have greater cognitive control over their language processing than monolinguals. This means that they can switch between languages more easily.
Bilinguals also have more flexible control over their language processing than monolinguals. This means that they can use both languages for different purposes.
Last, bilinguals are better at multitasking than monolinguals. This is because the bilingual brain is able to switch back and forth between different tasks more easily.
