How do you think the brain of a bilingual person works?

Question

A person born with 2 or 3 languages probably has wider awareness, don't you think?
They must have 2 or 3 different databases to perceive the world...

Answer 1

It is interresting you asked that.
I am tri-lingual, german-english-spanish. german is my origin. I manage hispanic employees, most of them don't speak english. So I am on the phone with customer's, speaking english, then the other line rings and I have to speak spanish with that person and then I have to write an e-mail in german. Some times I get confused with switching from one language to the other in seconds. Sometimes I talk spanish with the english speaking person because I just finished a conversation with the spanish speaking person. Or I write english words into the german letter. But thru out the years I got used to it and the switch goes faster now. Your question regarding the awareness...I think I am more aware of the different cultures and mentalities,and I handle the way of communicating different with each person.

Answer 2

I'm bilingual and my brain stopped working years ago. Not really. Your brain will work as well as you let it. There are two types of bilingual thinking that probably induce somewhat different physiological aspects but only in the ability to remember how or what to use in a language situation such as those who are taught the memorization technique and then there is the way the brain functions for those who use the identification technique which is the way those who utilize the language from a more advanced position. For example, I can switch to either language or mix or enter the channel of the language automatically where-as a person learning but has no or little utilization has to remember what words match what they want to say and that takes a lot more work and time.

Answer 3

yes they perceive the world differently, but its a lot harder for someone who is bilingual to answer questions because they have to processes the meaning of the words differently. I am bilingual (spanish and english), however my first language is english...so when I try to speak spanish, I'm thinking in english first, then translating (in my mind) in spanish, then I finally talk spanish. My friend is the opposite of me. She has a harder time with the english langauge because some words are hard for her to translate quickly.

Answer 4

I certainly have a tri-lingual toddler. (Greek, Portuguese and English). We basically talk English at living house yet her exposure to the different languages comes w/ the grandparents babysitting. She is doing properly yet i will say that it has brought about a large form of problem for her socially and expressively. i might disclose her to the two languages interior the living house. once you're along with her talk jap and disclose her to English once you're living house consisting of your husband. it somewhat is a surprising way on your husband to speak jap! I even have found out a large form of greek from my daughter. i could be arranged however for a speach postpone and doubtless a social postpone simply by fact she won't be responsive to what to assert or which language to apply outstanding away... good success!

Answer 5

A person that learns 2 languages from birth do not actually learn 2 languages. They learn one, it just has a very large vocabulary. You use this set of words with these people and another set of words with those people. People who learn another language later actually need to learn it separately.

Answer 6

i know how it works. if you are bilingual you think in the language that you use most often and it takes a while before changing your thought language

Answer 7

I'm tr-lingual (3 languages) but don't feel any different than other people. (though relatives compare to their children as more aware)

Answer 8

just like most people, they're just capable of understanding more than those who don't speak more than one language.