Are you bilingual or monolingual? Are there truly any perks to being bilingual? Does it make a difference? Bilingualism is a complex term influenced by multiple factors and therefore would mean different things to different people. For the sake of this write-up, however, it would mean someone who speaks two languages fluently. Nelson Mandela once said- ” If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart”. Imagine you could speak everyone’s language? The power of speaking many languages is manifold. Beyond transcending the depths of an interlocutor’s heart, the variety of languages one speaks- open up a world of unimaginable opportunities. It all starts with being bilingual at a young age.
The tale of a “not so happy” grandma…
There’s this story my mother loves telling. Every time she tells it, it is with a new elevated level of frustration. It is the story of her annoying imbroglio with her “grannies”. She goes to visit her sister/friend/cousin. I honestly don’t know how we are related to this particular aunty. In most of our African communities, cousins are almost always not related. If your mother has a close friend and they speak the same dialect, they are sisters. Anyway, my mother comes back from her visit sorely disappointed by the entire encounter.
My “cousin” is visiting Cameroon with her kids for the first time in a long while. She has been living in Germany for many years and this is her first trip back home with her kids. My mother is very excited as she hasn’t seen her “niece” in ages. Even more thrilled to meet her “grandchildren” as per the aforementioned African tradition, for the first time. Much to her annoyance, she can’t communicate with these grannies of hers if their mother is not present. The children speak only German! For their entire stay in Cameroon, their mother has to act as a translator. Whenever they needed to chat with their grandmother or numerous aunties and uncles, their mother had to be there.
Speaking to children in two languages confuses them…
It must have been very tedious for the poor girl. I wonder why she had not considered communicating with her children in the language she grew up speaking? Besides being a medium of communication, there is the cultural aspect of every language. A language is a tool children born in foreign countries can use to connect with their cultures. These children were going to unconsciously learn German in their environment willy-nilly. Could it be because of the long-standing argument that speaking to children in two languages confuses them? Whatever her reasons, my mother was pissed! “Why would anyone raise a monolingual child? ” (mind you, she did the same). “An “Oyibo” language for that matter?” (trust African mothers with the judgment!)
Scientific evidence, however, has proven that speaking two languages to children does not confuse them as many people have stipulated. If anything, bilingual children tend to be more resourceful when speaking. Below the ages of three, children usually have limited vocabulary as they acquire a language. What stands out for bilingual children is their ability to code-mix and borrow words from another language. This is very common when they need to express themselves better. This builds their ingenuity in the long run. Speaking to children in two languages does not lead to speech delays either.
The earlier you become bilingual, the easier it is to learn other languages
Navigating the world now as an adult, it is interesting observing other multilingual individuals. Their fluency in the languages they speak, vis-a-vis my inhibitions learning languages. Nine out of ten friends who grew up bilingual have no issues picking up a third and a fourth language. Research has shown that bilingual children make better strides at learning a third language. And are a lot faster than their monolingual counterparts at learning a second. Earlier is always better. It would seem that proficiency in a third language directly hinges on how many languages one speaks. One’s ability to attain the “near-native-like” level is influenced by first being bilingual, irrespective of age, motivation and affinity.
Are you bilingual or multilingual?
Being bilingual improves cognitive skills
The Nso people from the North West region of Cameroon are alleged to be the smartest in the entire country. It has also been alleged that everyone from this region speaks their dialect fluently. Before they attempt to learn English and French (the national languages), they must first speak Lamso. A people so proud of their heritage, rumour has it teachers teach in the Lamso dialect in schools in this region. Even if children have to end up pronouncing “cold”, “cool” and “bone”, “boon”. But who knows if their cognitive abilities stem from early bilingualism? The bilingualism experience improves cognitive and sensory processing. This further gives individuals an edge in processing information which makes for better learning. Learning to control language systems that are always active and competing strengthens the brain region which improves cognitive skills.
Be intentional about learning languages
The history of languages is replete with instances of language contact leading to some form of bilingualism. It has been argued that there are more bilingual and multilingual than there are monolingual people. Still, a lot of us living in monolingual countries do not prioritize learning more languages. Sadly enough, it does not occur to us to ensure our children grow up bilingual right from home. We rely on formal education for them to learn a second language. If you live in a monolingual country you have to be intentional about language learning. Especially if the language you grew up speaking is still your reality. Consider exploring something new for your children. Or learning more languages as an adult. It gets harder with age, still, it’s never too late.
My husband and I come from the same region in Cameroon but we do not speak the dialect. I cannot count the number of times we’ve been in public places and I am dying to gossip! But we always miss these big moments. He usually sees the text I sent while sitting next to him when it doesn’t matter anymore. All because our parents didn’t think to speak to us in our dialect. Apart from my petty reasons for wishing I spoke my dialect, it would have made a difference in other areas of my life. As I earlier mentioned, the power in speaking many languages is manifold. Being bilingual seems to be the starting point. It also-
- ensures the routine practice of considering other people’s perspectives.
- increases cultural awareness.
- delays age‐related dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.
- heightens the ability to monitor one’s surroundings.
It should be noted that linguistically speaking, there is a difference between a language and a dialect. A language is always spoken and written, meanwhile, a dialect is only spoken. Meaning languages have standardized codes and dialects do not. In this write-up, however, I lumped both into the language category. A dialect may be elevated to the status of a language for political reasons. Besides, dialects do have unwritten codes known by the native speakers.
Kudos to my Dad, he made sure I learned the dialect and was still the one who forced n into attending a French university!
Now I speak English, My dialect and French.
That makes me pretty smart. Yeah!!!!!
Thank you Daddy!!
Kudos to him indeed!! Happy for you dear. And thanks for the feedback 👍👍
Being bilingual should be one of our objective in life now, especially as the world has become a global village. I will encourage young parents not to repeat the errors we made. Teach ur children even the little u picked up while growing. It’s never too late.
👍👍👍👍👍👍Absolutely!!
Great content. Learning another language is a must for all. It always gives an added advantage
Yes ohhhh 🙌🙌🙌. Thank you for the feedback Ma❤️❤️❤️
It’s always an added advantage knowing many languages. As a parent, I will not relent on that for my kids.
Yes ohh. I hope baby Lim is already speaking some lamnso😍🤩. Thank you for your feedback dear!
This write up could not have come at a better time for me. This upcoming school year, my 5 year old will be resuming at a French Emerson school after 2 years of attending pre-k at an English speaking school.
At her new school, the youngsters will be taught exclusively in French and I must say it had been hard to convince the majority of family members that this is a good choice for the kid ( yes the part of the world I come from, you need the seek the village’s permission before you take major decisions concerning your own kids lol). Top on the list, mum worries that this deviation will rather ‘confuse’ the students ‘little brains’ as they will struggle with learning a new language at the same time digesting their course curriculum.
I read up on the benefits of introducing a second language to kids at an early age and i was excited at the benefits you highlighted of building a much wider vocabulary and developing better ingenuity than their monolingual peers.
Notwithstanding I still secretly nurse some doubts about this move but my gut feeling tells me this is the right choice. Worse case scenario, if midway or at the end of the school year If she is struggling too hard and falling behind ( which isn’t in either of her parents genes 😊) i have the option to move her back to an English speaking program to get her back on track. But for now, I will cross my fingers and hope this turns out just great.
This post post has just reminded me that my child will do just as well or even better than her other classmates in the English speaking program with the added benefit of being able to communicate in another language besides English.
Thanks for this piece and please keep them coming.
Wowwwww!!! That’s quite a brave and smart decision. I applaud you mam!! I believe the exposure would do her goooood! It maybe tough the first couple of months but itl definitely get better. Plus this would be soooo good for her brain amd her cultural awareness. Way to go girl! Smart parenting. Thank God the tribe agreed🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣. I look forward to hearing how she is doing n I wish you both the he very best in this new venture! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️. Merci pour le feedback
Great! Interesting to know all the advantages one has being able to speak more than one language and the fact that this is better when one starts from an early age. My worry is that ,how come when after learning more than five languages children tend to forget some completely as they grow up especially when they are not in the environment in which the language is spoken? My son is totally blanc in French now,but he could speak and understand French very well when he was younger.
Language like any other skill, if not practiced constantly, is lost. Especially if he had not learned it to an almost near native speaker level. The environment too plays a role in ensuring the language sticks. Maybe if he moves to a French speaking area now he’d remember all he learned.
Thank you for your feedback ❤️❤️❤️
Thanks dear, I will keep you updated. It would be an interesting ride for us all as a family, but am looking forward to it.
I usually spoke two languages to my Children (German and English) . They never replied in English when I spoke it to them when they were young. They understood everything I said but replied in the Language they were comfortable with. It was when we took them home and there they realised that
English was the only Language the People back Home understood that they began speaking or responding in English .
As you rightly said, speaking more than One language to Children does Not confuse them at all if only the parents Master the languages.
And now they are perfectly bilingual amd very smart young adults! Thanks for the feedback and for sharing your experiences. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Is always an added advantage when u are bilingual…great writeup …as they say is never to late
Yes ohhh. Thanks aunty Foghisssss❤️❤️❤️. U have killed it today!
Madooooooo. merciiiii
Our children will be multilingual – 4 languages. Only if I and Onur can manage to teach them. 😅The article is very informative. It emphasises how important it is to be able to connect with your roots and to the rest of the world. Very well written!
LOOL. You and Onur are two jokers but I am positive you would teach them all four languages! Thanks, dear for your continuous support. appreciate it!
Mia bambinas better get ready. There in for a language tour. Imagine being bilingual and still feeling “languagecap”- if that’s a word to describe my inability to know the survival vocabulary and grammar needed to live in a place that speaks neither of the two languages I pride myself in. Thanks for this educative piece.
Looool. I am literally hollering! lool. My dear the fact that you speak two would help you in learning that of your present environment. ashiaa you ya. And thanks for your feedback!
Lovely write-up as always! I admit that learning many languages and being able to speak one’s dialect is ALWAYS advantageous to the individual. I grew up speaking English and French, but unfortunately only got exposed to the dialect in greater detail when I was already in boarding school. Hence picking it up was not easy, as I only heard it when I was on holidays and I was already older. It took a lot of courage too, for me to settle to learn the German language. And due to my environment in the later years of my growing up, my French is not a good as it used to be. Still, I try to communicate with French-speaking friends as much as I can so as to not loose that language totally as well. My boys will definitely be exposed to French early enough (English is spoken at home, German will definitely be picked up as they attend childcare) and I hope that they get to grow with these three languages, at least. My husband and I do not speak the same dialect and he has more relatives in Germany than I do, so if the children can pick up his dialect from family, that will be an added plus.
Thank you for the feedback, my dear! And great that you are thinking of exposing your kids to three languages at an early age. It would definitely pay off. Wishing you the best. And hope they can pick up some Bangwa too. wink!