One Language Is Not Enough
By Tamar Ashkenazi ‘29
Being multilingual has shifted from an impressive skill to a necessary one. Today, knowing only one language is not enough anymore.
Learning a second language strengthens cognitive and academic abilities. Students who study a second language score about 20 percent higher on standardized tests in reading and math than their peers who do not, according to research in Foreign Language Annals.
Sophomore Aeden Pinsker said, “When you learn another language, you have to dedicate yourself for long periods of time to learn the language, especially if you are learning by yourself. This has helped me be able to feel more comfortable dedicating myself to studying for an upcoming test.
According to The Economist, bilingual employees earn an average of 5 to 20 percent more than their monolingual coworkers. The American Council of Teaching Foreign Languages found in 2019 that 9 out of 10 employers relied on bilingual employees with a 56 percent increase in demand.
Not only do many jobs encourage multilingualism, but some are entirely dedicated to it.
Diplomats, tour guides and customer service workers are often required to speak at least two languages conversationally.
There is a personal connection involved with language learning for many language learners. In the United States, people feel distant from their cultures including their ancestral language because their ancestors immigrated.
Freshman Annabella de Picciotto said, “I began learning French to connect with my grandparents and Hebrew to better understand my culture and my background. Learning multiple languages allows people to have a deeper connection with the world around them.”
Beyond basic communication, learning multiple languages strengthens cognitive and mental flexibility.
Research from the University of Miami also found that children who speak two or more languages often show stronger executive functioning skills. This means they’re better at things like problem-solving and out-of-the-box thinking.
Spanish teacher Señora Gardner said, “Investing in a second language is linked to improved academic performance and deeper cultural understanding. It is about the ability to communicate and connect with more people.”
Señora Gardner also noted that language and culture are deeply interconnected, indicating that many complex ideas do not translate cleanly into English.
For example, the Spanish word sobremesa describes the tradition of sitting together and talking long after a meal; a concept that takes a full explanation in English but is instantly understood by the use of one word in Spanish.
Multilingualism is the gateway to effective communication and understanding of foreign cultures and their nuances and global connection.
“I have seen firsthand how language keeps family history and traditions alive in a way that translation cannot capture,” said GOA music director Mrs. Roney.
Comparing bilingual and monolingual adults, bilingual adults have been proven to have stronger memory performance.
Scott Schroeder and Viorica Marian, from the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Northwestern University conducted a study comparing bilingual and monolingual older adults with memory-recall. The average age for the participants was 80.
After viewing 80 photos, bilinguals recalled on average 12 photos compared to monolinguals who recalled 7 photos.
Multilingualism is not a choice or a luxury, but a necessity in our linguistically diverse world. Choosing to learn another language is an investment in cognitive strength and future opportunity.
