BILINGUALISM

    Bilingualism is the ability of a person to speak two different languages like  a native speaker. In Turkey, there are people from different nations who consider Turkey as their mother land, the place they were born in and they belong to, such as the Armenians like me and my family, the Jews, the Greeaks and various other nations  from different parts of the world and those who believe in other religions. Bilingualism, at first was thought to be bad for the brain and a handicap. On the contrary, bilingualism has been discovered to provide many benefits. In short, bilingualism is an ability which improves brain power, extends people’s vision and helps people to develop skills.

    Bilingualism affects brain power, brain cells and synapses. It creates more synapses which lead the brain to make connections between ideas and situations easily. A bilingual person has more advanced and comprehensive vision than a monolingual person; he has the ability to observe life with all its aspects, to develop more creative ideas and to have more flexibility in personal expression. Switching languages allows different personality traits to emerge within a single individual. Bilingualism opens up new worlds of global connection and understanding, which means being able to connect with people from different nations having various other ideas about life and to reach those universes. Discovering a new person helps us discover ourselves better and find new abilities in our own self to improve our intelligence, imagination, knowledge and it feeds our soul enabling us to love more people and accept everyone with all their flaws and blessings.

    Bilingualism has affects on our memory and thinking, too. It helps protect brain power against losses that come with age. Bilingual seniors’ brains are much more efficient and they are better at high-order thinking called executive function than monolinguals of the same age. The increased reserve brain power they have helps compensate for age related declines in thinking and memories that  cause Alzheimer’s and forms of dementia. Speaking more than one language helps old people to be saved from Alzheimer’s disease and to delay the onset of dementia. Moreover, the effects bilingualism cause a person’s memory to create more ideas, to improve communication and empathic skills.

   Bilingualism may be seen as an ability to affect only one individual’s life but a person has the power to change the whole society. A world filled with bilinguals who have better understanding, more love for others and empathy is a place full of peace, friendship and cultural awareness. Those are the things we need to create better days and a better society especially in the world we live in today where darkness, wars and hate for each other are at the highest level.