LL-L "Language news" 2004.06.14 (05) [E]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 14.JUN.2004 (05) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Language news

Dear Lowlanders,

Just now I caught a small soundbyte bundle of language news on the CNN TV
news channel.  It contained no satisfactory detail and was obviously a
filler, was rather interesting anyway.

According to a recent study (no details), older adults that knew more than
one language did significantly better in memory tests than did those that
were monolingual.  I don't know if with "people with only one language" they
really meant actually monolingual people or included those that learned a
foreign language in school but didn't really use it outside the classroom
and for long periods of time.  Also, there was talk of "people with more
than one language" and "people who grew up with two languages," apparently
used interchangeably.  So that's rather ambiguous.  At the end they said
something like "Two languages is good, more languages is better."

So far, no elaboration has been posted at the CNN site (http://www.cnn.com).

There you have it: the health benefits of language learning!  If you haven't
started yet, this is the time to jump on the bandwagon.  (Picture all those
folks on treadmills and exercise bikes, "hydration bottles" hanging from
belts, staring into language textbooks, listening to language CDs rather
than to music ones ...)

This makes me realize that by now I'd be in even worse shape memory-wise had
I lived monolingually ...  Maybe our Sandy is right and I do need a new
challenge: a phone-less language like sign language.  That'd do it: "extend
the life of the brain's elasticity," as mentioned on CNN.

It's official now.  Keep learning and using your languages, folks!
(Doesn't this merely confirm a hunch we've had for a long time?)

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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