Illustration: Cristina Spanò
Jun 27th 2025 | 3 min read
Reams of papers have been published on the cognitive advantages of multilingualism. Beyond the conversational doors it can open, multilingualism is supposed to improve “executive function”, a loose concept that includes the ability to ignore distractions, plan complex tasks and update beliefs as new information arrives. Most striking, numerous studies have even shown that bilinguals undergo a later onset of dementia, perhaps of around four years, on average. But some of these studies have failed to replicate, leaving experts wondering whether the effect is real, and if so, what exactly it consists of.
多学几门外语对大脑认知能力有好处，这方面的论文汗牛充栋。除了能够打开更多交流的大门，学外语还能提升大脑的“执行功能”，这个概念很广泛，包括不受干扰的能力、规划复杂任务的能力、面对新的信息能改变旧认知的能力。最抓眼球的，是很多研究表明，会一门外语的人，比不会外语的人，痴呆的时间平均晚四年左右。但是，有些研究无法重复验证，导致专家也不能确定学外语是不是真有好处，或者就算有好处，又有哪些好处。
The good news is that it is never too late to start learning a new language, if you want your brain to benefit. A study from 2019 showed that although a moderate amount of language learning in adults does not boost things like executive function, it does mitigate age-related decline.
好消息是，如果想保健大脑，学一门新语言永远不嫌晚。2019年的一项研究显示，成年人适量学些外语，虽然并不能提升执行功能之类的认知能力，但确实能减缓与衰老相关的认知衰退。
The biggest benefits seem to come to those who master their second languages fully. That in turn is usually because they speak the two as natives, or at least have spoken them on a near-daily basis for a long time. A bit of university French does not, unfortunately, convey the same advantages as deep knowledge and long experience. Switching languages frequently in the course of a day (or conversation) may be particularly important. Studies of interpreters and translators have provided some of the strongest evidence for a bilingual advantage. For example, they are faster at repeatedly jumping back and forth between simple addition and subtraction problems than monolinguals, suggesting generally better cognitive control.
收益最大的人，是那些精通外语的人。因为他们能把两种语言都说得像母语一样，或者长期以来几乎天天都在用两种语言。可惜的是，大学里学的那点外语，比起深厚的语言知识和长期的使用经验，效果就差远了。在日常生活（或对话）中时常切换不同语言就很关键。研究表明，双语能力的好处，最突出的证据，是口译员和笔译员。比如，他们在简单加减法题目之间来回切换的速度比只会一种语言的人更快，这表明他们的认知控制能力整体更强。
But elsewhere is “a forest of confounding variables”, says Mark Antoniou of Western Sydney University. Bilinguals are not like monolinguals in lots of ways. The child of diplomats, raised in a foreign language abroad, may have cognitive and educational advantages that have nothing to do with bilingualism. At the other end of the socioeconomic ladder, though, studies have found striking evidence that in poorer parts of the world multilingual people show the strongest advantages from speaking several languages. Where schooling is scant, researchers surmise that bilingualism exercises children’s brains in a way that their schooling may not.
但西悉尼大学的马克·安东尼欧表示，还有“一堆乱七八糟的变量”。双语者和单语者在很多方面都不一样。比如，外交官的孩子在国外长大，一般会说外语，但他们在认知和教育方面的优势，可能跟会不会说外语没什么关系。不过，研究发现，在社会经济阶层的另一端，也就是较贫困地区，会说多种语言的人从中获得的好处最为明显。研究人员推测，这是因为，在教育资源稀缺的地方，双语能力锻炼了孩子们的大脑，弥补了学校教育的不足。
Age plays a role, too. Studies suggest that the effects of languages on the brain are stronger for young children and the old than they are for young adults. Bilingual tots seem to outperform in cognitive development in the early years, but their monolingual classmates may catch up with them later. One meta-analysis on the topic revealed that 25 studies out of 45 found a bilingual advantage in children younger than six, while only 17 found them in children aged 6-12.
年龄也是个因素。研究表明，语言对大脑的影响，在幼儿和老年人身上比青年人更为明显。会外语的小朋友在早期认知发展上通常表现更好，但随着年龄增长，只会一种语言的同学可能会赶上来。一项元分析显示，在45项研究中，有25项在6岁以下儿童中发现双语优势，而只有17项研究在6-12岁儿童中发现这种优势。
At the other end of life, Ellen Bialystok of York University, in Canada, the godmother of the field, has compared the cognitive protection bilingualism offers to the coverage of a piece of bread afforded by a slice of holey Swiss cheese. Doing other things that are good for the brain, such as exercise, is akin to stacking the slices. Their holes occur in different places, and thus collectively offer greater protection.
加拿大约克大学的埃伦·比亚利斯托克是这一领域的先驱。她认为，双语能力给认知能力的保护，就像在面包片上铺有洞洞的瑞士奶酪片。做其他有益大脑的事，例如运动，就像继续铺更多奶酪片。虽然每片奶酪的洞分布在不同位置，但叠加起来能提供更全面的保护。
But all these studies take for granted the uncontroversial mental superpower that you get from language study: being able to talk to people you could not have spoken to, or understood, otherwise. Even if you cannot pick your parents and be fluent from infancy, that should be more than enough reason to give it a go. ■
而且，这些研究都认为，学习外语能让大脑变强，这是无可争议的：毕竟，学会外语，你就能与那些本来无法交流的人交谈，理解原来无法理解的话。即使无法选择自己的父母，即使不是从小就会说外语，为了这个好处，你也应该尝试学习外语。■
精读精讲——单词短语
ream
n. [usually plural] a lot of something, especially writing
She’s written reams of poetry.
她写了很多诗。
multilingualism
n. use of several languages
The free flow of information and knowledge can be further strengthened by promoting multilingualism and diversified local content.
通过促进多语言使用和本地内容多元化，可以进一步加强信息与知识的自由流通。
onset
n. the moment at which something begins, and especially something uncomfortable or unpleasant 注意这里的英文释义特别指出了是令人不舒服或不快的东西开始了
the onset of winter 冬季的开始
另外一个用法是作为后缀，表示“发病”，“起病”：
(of an illness or medical condition) starting at the stated time or in the stated way
sudden-onset hearing loss 突发性听力损失
in turn
one after the other in an agreed order 依次，轮流
Each of us takes a break in turn.
我们轮流休息。
in the course of
undergoing the specified process;
A new textbook was in the course of preparation.
一本新教材正在编写中。
during the specified period of activity
How many really important calls do you get in the calls of a day?
你一天当中会接到多少真正重要的电话？
back and forth
moving first in one direction and then in the opposite one 来回地，来来去去
She swayed gently back and forth to the music.
她随着音乐的节奏轻轻来回摇摆。
bilingual
adj. able to use two languages equally well
He is bilingual in Putonghua and English.
他会说普通话和英语。
monolingual
adj. able to use one language well
Monolingual children are able to learn a second language quickly if given the chance.
只会讲一种语言的孩子如果有机会，可以很快学会第二语言。
scant
adj. very little and not enough
He pays scant attention to the needs of his children.
他很少关注自己孩子的需求
scant regard for the truth
不顾事实
surmise
v. to guess something, without having much or any proof 推测，猜测，臆测
The police surmise (that) the robbers have fled the country.
据警方推测，抢劫犯已经逃离了这个国家。
outperform
v. to do well in a particular job or activity compared to others of a similar type 超过，胜过；比……做得好
The company has consistently outperformed its rivals this season.
这一季，这家公司的表现一直优于竞争对手。
uncontroversial
adj. not causing much disagreement or anger, especially among the public
I tried to come up with a list of uncontroversial subjects to discuss with my girlfriend’s parents over dinner.
我尝试想出些没有争议的话题，准备在和女朋友父母共进晚餐时聊。
infancy
the time when someone is a baby or a very young child 婴儿期，幼年
Her youngest child died in infancy.
她最小的孩子年幼夭折。
精读精讲——单词短语
threshold
n. the level of point at which you start to experience something, or at which something starts to happen 阈值，界限；七点
e.g. I have a low boredom threshold (=i do feel bored easily.)
我很容易感到厌倦。
aerobically
adv. in an aerobic manner: "with oxygen" or relating to processes that require the presence of free oxygen to occur. 有氧地，需氧地
（形容词形式为aerobic）
e.g. When you work out aerobically, your body burns calories (and fat) in three specific ways.
taper
v. (shape or form) to become progressively smaller or narrower at one end.
e.g. The spire of the building tapers to a point.
v. (athletics and training) to gradually reduce the volume or intensity of a workout routine before a major competition (like a marathon) to allow the body to rest.
e.g. Runners typically taper their mileage in the final two weeks before the race day.
v. (finance and economics) a gradual reduction in the amount of stimulus or central bank actions (like quantitative easing) provided to the economy,
e.g. The Federal Reserve’s decision to taper its bond-buying program caused ripples in the stock market.
v. (healthcare) the act of slowly and gradually reducing a medication or dosage rather than stopping abruptly (”cold turkey”) to safely wean the body off it.
e.g. It is important to taper antidepressants to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
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