Newborns can distinguish between sounds from any language, even those they’ve never heard. As they grow, they specialize in the sounds of their native language, losing this ability to detect foreign sounds.
1 - Babies are born linguistic geniuses
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The way you speak affects your perception. For example, in some languages like Russian, there are multiple words for shades of blue, making speakers of those languages better at distinguishing these hues.
2 - Language shapes how you see the world
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Sign languages, like American Sign Language (ASL), have their own grammar, syntax, and structure. They’re not just gestures but complex systems that are processed in the same brain areas as spoken languages.
3 - Sign languages are fully fledged languages
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People who speak more than one language tend to delay the onset of dementia and Alzheimer's by several years. This mental juggling strengthens cognitive functions and improves multitasking skills.
4 - The "bilingual brain" stays sharp longer
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Learning a new language actually changes the structure of your brain. It increases grey matter in areas involved in memory and sensory processing, much like how exercise builds muscles.
5 - You can "rewire" your brain with language learning
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Every language, from the most widespread like English to smaller indigenous ones, is equally complex and expressive. No language is more advanced or primitive than another—each evolves to meet the needs of its speakers.
6 - There’s no “primitive” language
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In Mandarin, pitch changes word meaning, so the brain’s right hemisphere (used for music) is more active, making tone language speakers especially skilled at distinguishing subtle auditory cues.
7 - Tone languages make your brain work harder
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About one language dies every two weeks, as fewer people speak indigenous or minority languages. Some efforts are made to document and revive them, but many are in danger of disappearing forever.
8 - Languages die at an alarming rate
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Slang, puns, and wordplay show how flexible language is. These deviations aren’t just "incorrect"; they push the boundaries of communication and keep languages alive, growing, and evolving.
9 - Languages have rules, but we still break them creatively
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Even without formal education, young children quickly pick up the rules of their native language, like word order and tense, long before they understand the technical terms for grammar.