ipl-logo

Being A Bilingual Person Essay

861 Words4 Pages

Bilingual is defined, according to Webster’s dictionary, as ‘having or using two languages especially as spoken with the fluency characteristics of a native speaker; a person using two languages especially habitually and with control like that of a native speaker’ and bilingualism as ‘the constant oral use of two languages’. Therefore, being a bilingual person means you are able to communicate in two languages and not only that. Anna Wierzbicka claims in her article that “A point which seems to me particularly important is that experience of bilingual people should not be construed as merely their experience of speaking two languages but rather as their experience of living with other people through two different languages”. Knowing two languages, at least, gives you a better experience with a variety of people, especially if you know English or Chinese, which are the most important languages in the world. The author debates a “research into the interface of emotions and bilingualism promises to throw new light on wider issues of the relationship between …show more content…

Viorica Marian says in her article (‘The Cognitive Benefits of Being Bilingual’) that “We are surrounded by language during nearly every waking moment of our lives. We use language to communicate our thoughts and feelings, to connect with others and identify with our culture, and to understand the world around us”. I believe you act and think in a way in one language and some other way in the other one. For my generation it’s easier to think in English because we are being surrounded by this language everywhere we go: music, movies, books and so many others. Also, it’s easier to express something in English because there are no expressions alike in our actual language. English is really a language of communication and it is ideal for

Show More
Related

  • Essay About Being Mexican American

    322 Words  | 2 Pages

    I am not white, but I am not Mexican either. I am, however, a first generation Mexican American with parents from San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Perhaps I do not know what it is like to cross the border that refrains me from being Mexican, or the color of my skin that refrains me from being white, but my own personal experiences make me the Mexican American that I am today. Growing up I celebrated the Fourth of July with fireworks, and the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe with matlachines.

    Read More

  • Mexican Americans In The United States Should Learn Two Languages

    614 Words  | 3 Pages

    Growing up learning two languages may sometimes be difficult but it will benefit the person learning in many ways. Not only will learning two languages help in getting higher paying jobs, but it will give a better view of both cultures and their history. I agree with Alarid’s statement that Mexican Americans in the United States should learn both English and Spanish. Alarid shares his view on why it is important to learn English and Spanish. Being bilingual is only a way we can prosper in our society by being able to have a better understanding in communicating with our peers.

    Read More

  • The New Bathroom Policy At English High School

    651 Words  | 3 Pages

    My personal experience being multilingual is that i am able to freely express myself in words or phrases that come natural to me. Being able to speak Vietnamese, English, and French with ease while using some commonly known phrases from the Japanese language. Martin Espada and Richard Rodriguez, two authors that speak Spanish and English have different standpoints on the subject of bilingualism. In Martin Espada’s essay “The New Bathroom Policy at English High School” explains the need to maintain cultural identity through bilingualism, while in Richard Rodriguez’s exert “Hunger of Memory” depicts the necessity of becoming bilingual to be able to function well in society. “The New Bathroom Policy at English High School” by Martin Espada explores

    Read More

  • Being A Mexican American Essay

    328 Words  | 2 Pages

    One of the toughest adjustments, having been born to Mexican parents, is migrating to an unknown country where traditions and languages differ from one 's own. Though many pursue an education and strive for a better life, the purpose behind an immigrant, like myself, differs from the typical American. Immigrants strive for a life that was once impossible, going to school is not only to attain an education, but to better prove that we can also become successful regardless of our traditions and skin color. I lived in a country for over fifteen years, fearing deportation, not only losing a home, but potentially saying goodbye to a bright future. Although many feel empathy for Mexican-Americans, it is undeniably difficult to truly comprehend the immense trauma children and even adults undergo  upon experiencing racism and prejudice.

    Read More

  • The New Bathroom Policy At English High School Summary

    575 Words  | 3 Pages

    Language forms a part of culture and identity. Bilingualism is the right to speak multiple languages. Part of bilingualism is keeping and developing a passion for language. In the essay “The New Bathroom Policy at English High School,” Martín Espada suggests the definition of bilingualism and the importance of keeping it. Espada understands the difficulty of continuing to speak Spanish.

    Read More

  • Essay About Being Hispanic

    500 Words  | 2 Pages

    Being Hispanic has taught me a whole world of things. It has taught me that the world is not what you expect it to be. Going to a public school and being th minority is completely different than going to a see my cousins where every thing is different. The way we talk, the food we eat. Its all different.

    Read More

  • Espadas Bilingualism

    601 Words  | 3 Pages

    However, in order for one to truly understand the arguments made by the authors they must also understand the context behind these arguments; therefore, knowing how the individual authors’ definition of bilingualism lets the reader truly absorb what points they’re trying to make and why. In Espada’s essay, he defines bilingualism as a way for a person to remain in contact with their different cultural identities. There are many areas in the essay where the reader could interpret this definition from. However, the most significant piece of evidence appears at the beginning of the essay where Espada mentions his friend Jack Agueros’ analogy to describe his bilingualism “English and Spanish are like two dogs I love. English is an obedient dog.

    Read More

  • Bilingual Persuasive Speech

    750 Words  | 3 Pages

    The more language knowledge significantly helps towards your career as you know. Bilinguals have the privilege of get their information from a wider variety of resources. Also, it has great educational benefit to kids. Many studies suggest that bilingual children tend to have a higher concentration and are better at working through distraction while doing their school work. Research has shown that bilinguals score higher on average on tests involving creative thinking or problem solving.

    Read More

  • Judith Kroll Reflection

    1172 Words  | 5 Pages

    I really enjoyed listening to Judith Kroll’s virtual lecture on “Bilingual Minds and Brains Across the Lifespan”. I had known from other classes that being bilingual improved a person’s executive function and that young infants had the capability to differentiate between different languages, but much of the information Dr. Kroll provided was new and truly eye-opening. For me, the most interesting part of the lecture was how being bilingual protected against symptoms of Alzheimer’s for such a long period of time. When Dr. Kroll said that even at age 21 I have begun my cognitive decline that was a bit disheartening but when she said that being bilingual has a lot of cognitive advantages I was very intrigued.

    Read More

  • Essay On Language And Identity

    878 Words  | 4 Pages

    Who are we? What forms one's identity? Language is a important element of culture and culture is known to be crucial definer of one's identity. Language connects people to a certain identity and allows them to communicate their ideas and values to themselves and the world... In other words language is important as it allows people to express their thoughts as well as beliefs.

    Read More

  • Advantages Of Bilingualism Essay

    1064 Words  | 5 Pages

    Being bilingual has got many advantages. It has been debated that bilingualism has multiple advantages such as cognitive, cultural, academic benefits as well. Cognitive benefit reveals that being bilingual help to facilitate human brain. People who are bilingual have two language systems which are working simultaneously. These systems don’t create hindrance in individual’s performance and ensure brain’s functioning of both cognitive aspects (Bialystok, 1999).

    Read More

  • Total Communication Educators Should Not Be Functionally Bilingual

    439 Words  | 2 Pages

    The definition of bilingual in this context does not apply. According to Merriam Webster's dictionary, being bilingual means being proficient in two languages.

    Read More

  • Literature Review Of Bilingualism

    3783 Words  | 16 Pages

    The notion of bilingualism is frequently connected to the idea of code-switching since a person should have ability to speak using two or more than one variety. Researchers have made countless studies describing bilingualism as they create awareness in different ways. To begin with is Bloomfield (1933) who defined bilingualism as having the “native- like control of two languages”. However, Haugen (1953) pinpointed that bilingualism is the ability of a speaker to communicate and understand an additional variety. This is to mean that the concept of bilingualism exist only when an individual of a certain variety has the capability to communicate effectively in an additional variety.

    Read More

  • Foreign Language In Schools Essay

    1086 Words  | 5 Pages

    Learning a second language at a younger age is beneficial Most little kids first day of school is when they are approximately five years old, and about to enter kindergarten. Kids go to school from about age five till graduation from high school at about age eighteen. Most schools focus on the basic core subjects, such as math, reading, science and history. Until junior high or high school, foreign language is not even offered.

    Read More

  • Bilingualism: The Benefits Of My Language Around The World

    2508 Words  | 11 Pages

    Some bilingual programs target to develop proficiency in two languages. However at the beginning of twenty first century, monolingual is not enough for social, economic and educational development. Being of bilingual has practical benefits in globalize world and it is not limited to having conversations and communicate with more people around. In 1922 the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein said, “The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” When we can speak more than one language, we learn to see a bigger world.

    Read More

More about Being A Bilingual Person Essay

Open Document