Scientists have discovered how the use of foreign languages affects the perception of time!

Yeah Mr. White! Yeah Science!

Learning a foreign language is beneficial to us in many areas. It improves qualifications and competitiveness, allows you to travel and communicate freely, broadens access to mass culture and a new circle of friends. It is also an excellent gymnastics for our brain. Scientists - Prof. Panos Athanasopoulos, a linguist from the University of Lancaster and Prof. Emanuel Bylund, a linguist from the University of Stellenbosch and the University of Stockholm - discovered that fluent use of at least two languages makes us perceive time differently, depending on the language context. They published their discovery in the "Journal of Experimental Psychology: General".

Their experiment proved that bilingual people use so-called "free energy devices". switching the code, which means that they move unconsciously, often and quickly in the sphere of these languages, while maintaining the context of a given language. This is proof of the cognitive flexibility of multilingual people.

For each nation, however, time has a different meaning. And so, for example Swedish and English speakers prefer to mark the duration of the events by reference to physical distances, e. g.: short distances, short distances, short distances, short distances, short distances, short distances, short distances, etc. a short break, long wedding party, etc. They perceive the elapse of time as a journey they have travelled through. Speakers in Greek and Spanish mean time by reference to physical quantities, e. g. A small break, a great wedding. They see time as an increase in volume. However, bilingual people were able to switch their perception of time and use a language-specific form, unconsciously and automatically.

Learning a new language suddenly becomes adapted to the perceptual dimensions that you did not realize before,"says Professor Athanasopoulos. The experiment shows something more, namely that bilingual people are flexible thinkers. There is also evidence to suggest that the mental transition between different languages in everyday life strengthens the learning to learn and multi-tasking capacity, and affects well-being,"explains the professor.

Being aware of the many advantages and prospects of upcoming holidays, it is worth considering investing in language learning. We have a full range of language schools on the market. In addition, we can also take advantage of attractive summer language learning opportunities, also abroad. Who knows, maybe a foreign adventure with a newly-acquired language will become our advantage not only in the professional and financial sphere.