Some of the perks of being bilingual are pretty obvious, especially if we are bilingual in languages that are useful to our lives. We can get better jobs, we can communicate with people who matter, we can read and understand the news directly from their sources. Other perks aren’t so evident, but we have all learned about them: exercising more elaborate thoughts is a well known one. But one question has been raised by specialists: does being fluent in one language make us being less fluent in another?

Is bilingualism good or bad for you, after all?
Is billianguarism good or bad for you after all? Image source: Billianguarism Research.

 Judith Kroll, a psychologist who studies bilingualism thinks so. According to her, when we learn a second language, the two of them compete with one another. Furthermore, the act of switching from one language to another can be quite exhausting to the brain. That’s a major drawback for all theories that praise the act of speaking and understanding two or more languages.

Notably, after we learn a second language we tend to try more often to translate one into the other, even when it’s not necessary. That’s called habit. It’s part of our cognitive process. Yes, it can be quite exhaustive sometimes. But it’s part of the process, just like going to the gym is part of a process of achieving a better looking body and health. By paying attention and responding to how much we learn, we work out more, and it takes a toll, but in the end, it makes our brains stronger.

Learning a second language takes its toll, but in the end it's well worth the effort.
Learning a second language takes its toll, but it's well worth the effort. Image source: Art of Education.

As with most learning processes, it’s seldom understood by the learner as something negative. We are happy for the knowledge and fluency acquired, so most times we don’t really care if it’s wearing us out or not.

All in all there is no doubt that overall, learning a second language is a positive and useful accomplishment. Like any other achievement, it demands effort, and all effort is demanding. If you want to read more about it, we suggest that you read Judith Kroll’s presentation on the matter. Regardless, we want to make sure we stand by learning, no matter what the subject is. We stand with Gandhi, who once said: “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”