Science of language-Bilingual brain by Nigel Praitis sciencefirst-Too many words? The brains of bilingual children are able to distinguish between the two languages.
Yet the brain is remarkable in being able to distinguish between two languages. Bilingual children may take slightly longer to utter their first word but they quickly learn when to speak which language. A recent study published in Psychological Science by researchers at the University of Oregon suggests that when an adult first learns a second language, the brain actively inhibits the first one. The researchers found that after learning to speak Spanish, native English speakers found it more difficult to recall English words. So if you travel abroad to immerse yourself in another language, you may end up finding it hard to speak your native tongue when your return.

As you become more proficient in your second language, scientists believe that the brain becomes better at preventing interference with your native tongue. Evidence from functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies supports this idea. “It seems that the words for language one and language two are stored in different areas of the brain, “says Mattys. “The more proficient you are, and the earlier you have been exposed to the second language, then the more separate these areas are.”

I have always found it amazing that children can seperate and not confuse the words or two languages, if they are growing up bilingual. Further, my friends that have learned languages as adults almost universally mix up words from their native and target languages, but this is more amusing rather than anything else. Eventually once they have achieved fluency, this confusion goes away. Making the mind bend and stretch to accommodate a new language goes along with my theory that learning a language changes your brain in an amazing and positive way.

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