Vapora Dark wrote:
Too lazy to read the entire thing, but are the actual benefits? I saw and already knew that it increases brain size, but does it do anything else? IIRC Albert Einstein's brain was no bigger than the average human's so I was under the impression that brain size is actually irrelevant. Are there any actual benefits to the changes your brain undergoes when learning another language, or is it just a "wow cool my brain is bigger!" kinda thing?
If memory serves, it also increases the amount of synapses in the brain (or actually regenerates those which were lost when you didn't learn the language as the child) and increases the folding of the brain. Both increase reaction timing and folding is linked to cognitive skills and actual intelligence. The absolute size of the brain has been proven to have correlation with intelligence.
If I recall, your brain basically has all the neurons and synapses needed for any action humanly possible as a child. Then you have "critical periods" (straight translation from Finnish) when you have to learn it (speaking at the age of 3-5, driving a bike at ages 5-7, writing and reading 5-8) or the synapses and neurons that aren't needed will just simply face apoptosis. It's harder to learn those outside of the critical periods because the brain has to create them again from a scratch.
Jovy
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i highly recommend studying languages as it really helps you to become a more well-rounded knowledgeable person on different cultures. props to you for learning chinese (mandarin).
If you have any questions feel free to ask. I'm fluent and willing to help
If you have any questions feel free to ask. I'm fluent and willing to help
Quoted:
Not worth it man, languages suck. Ich spreche drei Sprachen и мрзим сва три.
Yup. The only reason to ever learn a new language is if you plan on living in a country where it is spoken.
If not: just get really good at English (including grammar), and your native language (if not English). That's all you'll ever really have much use of.
"He cooked cake." - MrCuddowls
"Oh forget it, I have nothing to hid, I admit it, 12 hours of every single day of my life ever since I was eleven years old have been anal sex with canoes" - MrCuddowls
"Oh forget it, I have nothing to hid, I admit it, 12 hours of every single day of my life ever since I was eleven years old have been anal sex with canoes" - MrCuddowls
That's not entirely true, the Chinese populations are comparatively quite large in foreign countries and if you ever want to connect with them, Mandarin is useful. To my surprise, when I went to South Korea last summer, we met a lot of restaurant owners who spoke fluent Mandarin (even though they were Korean), so that made ordering a lot easier. Turns out there's a whole history of immigration and emigrations to and from China during and after the World Wars. Interesting stuff!
But otherwise, the only major use you'll get out of it is living in China, Hong Kong or Macau.
But otherwise, the only major use you'll get out of it is living in China, Hong Kong or Macau.
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