Speaking multiple languages is like having a secret superpower. It broadens your horizons, sharpens your brain, and, best of all, lets you pick up on things others think you can’t.
This Redditor put that skill to great use when her hospital roommate threw some not-so-subtle insults about her appearance, convinced they would go unnoticed. A perfectly timed response made sure she knew otherwise.
Read the full story below.
The woman threw out some rude remarks about her hospital roommate in a foreign language, assuming she wouldn’t understand
Image credits: DC Studio/Freepik (not the actual photo)
Until a single, polite response proved her wrong
Image credits: DC Studio/Freepik (not the actual photo)
Image credits: _opossumsaurus
Unexpected benefits of learning a new language
There’s a lot of talk about how learning a new language opens doors: easier travel, new friendships, and of course, the bragging rights of a solid Duolingo streak. And while those are great, sometimes it comes with unexpected bonuses, like catching a conversation you weren’t supposed to understand. But the benefits don’t stop there.
For one, learning another language makes you a better multitasker. When a multilingual person speaks, all the languages they know are active in their brain at the same time, even if they’re only using one.
“From research we know that as a bilingual or multilingual, whenever you’re speaking, both languages or all the languages that you know are activated,” Mathieu Declerck, a senior research fellow at the Vrije Universiteit in Brussels, tells the BBC. “For example, when you want to say ‘dog’ as a French-English bilingual, not just ‘dog’ is activated, but also its translation equivalent, so ‘chien’ is also activated.”
Of course, this also means that sometimes multilingual people mix things up—forgetting a word in one language but not the other or slipping into the wrong accent without realizing it. Still, the mental control needed to navigate between languages strengthens their ability to handle multiple tasks at once. Studies have even confirmed that bilingual children are better at switching between activities and staying focused on important information compared to monolinguals.
Speaking more than one language also keeps your brain in top shape and may even delay the onset of Alzheimer’s and dementia. Research shows that bilingual people develop symptoms of Alzheimer’s about 4.5 years later than those who only speak one language. This is believed to be due to a greater cognitive reserve, making their brains more resilient to damage.
A study from Italy suggests another reason: bilingual people tend to perform better on memory and thinking tests. Brain scans even revealed that they use less energy in areas typically affected by Alzheimer’s, meaning their brains are better at adapting and compensating for changes.
As if that weren’t enough, speaking multiple languages also boosts creativity. For instance, when multilingual people forget a word, they have to think on their feet, rephrase their thoughts, use different words, or explain things in a new way. It’s a skill that naturally strengthens their ability to think outside the box.
So if you speak more than one language, congrats on having a brain that’s basically a superhero. And if you’ve been thinking about learning one, take this as your sign to start (even if it’s just so you can eavesdrop or be a little petty).
Readers felt sorry that the author had to go through that experience
And many chimed in with their own stories of catching people off guard in the most satisfying way
