By: Dr. Mercola
More than half of the world's population is bilingual or multilingual, which means if you only speak one language, you're in the minority. This isn't the case in the U.S., where only about 1 in 4 Americans speak a second language well enough to hold a conversation.
There are obvious benefits to being bilingual — like the ability to communicate with people from around the world for business or social purposes. In the U.S., most people believe learning a second language is valuable though not necessarily essential.
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In other areas of the world, however, numerous languages may be spoken in a small geographic area. And even if your home life doesn't necessitate another language, in today's digitally connected world, your business life might.
This makes multilingualism a very valuable skill. For instance, 722 different languages are spoken in Indonesia, 445 in India and more than 200 in Australia. In some areas, children may speak one language at home and be educated in another.
This language acquisition is not only valuable for communication, however — it offers health benefits as well.
How Being Bilingual May Benefit Your Brain
Language is a challenging task for your brain, one that demands even more resources if you're bilingual.
While it was once thought that children growing up with two or more languages may be at a disadvantage, it turns out this mental workout has benefits and may lead your brain to process information more efficiently, even into old age.
For starters, bilingual brains have more grey matter, which includes neurons that function in cognition and higher-order cognitive processes. Further, in comparison to monolinguals, bilinguals enjoy:
In the elderly population, being bilingual may offer even more advantages. Research suggests bilingual older adults have greater cognitive reserve, a "protective mechanism that increases the brain's ability to cope with pathology."
This may be one reason why bilinguals also have delayed onset of cognitive decline (by up to 4.5 years) compared to monolinguals, even for dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. In other words, being bilingual appears to help ward off cognitive decline. According to a study published in Neurology:
" … [L]ifelong bilingualism confers protection against the onset of AD [Alzheimer's disease]. The effect does not appear to be attributable to such possible confounding factors as education, occupational status, or immigration.
Bilingualism thus appears to contribute to cognitive reserve, which acts to compensate for the effects of accumulated neuropathology."
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There is no doubt that the Latino consumers are a growing and important
market for brands and retailers. For those looking to reach Latinos in 2016, we've got three important thoughts to keep in mind from notable industry experts.
1. Latino consumers demand more from brands.
Tara Jaye Frank, VP, multicultural strategy, Hallmark Cards: “Latino/a consumers will demand more from products, services and experiences. Underserved consumer groups tend to ride an expectation curve of sorts when it comes to brands. At early introduction, they may be delighted to get invited to the party. Over time, they desire more: ‘Do these parties play the music I like? Serve the food I eat? Speak my preferred language?’ The faster the Hispanic population grows, the less satisfied they'll be with a ‘nod,’ which is what some brand strategies and marketing campaigns currently deliver. What they really want — and will come to expect, no doubt — is a full embrace.
“Relationships are everything to this consumer, and relationships are impossible to establish without understanding, respect, and reciprocity. Brands will have to stop asking how they can toss Hispanics (or any other targeted population) a proverbial bone. Instead, they'll want to welcome them to the table, and not only as guests ... but as partners in building the future.”
2. Utilize outreach strategies that are diverse in mobile marketing technology and social media platforms.
Rebecca Castrejon, online community manager, MXM: “According to Nielsen Consumer Insights, Latinos are the largest group using mobile devices for any type of transaction, from banking to watching movies. Additionally, Hispanics have become ‘super consumers’ of mobile marketing, making them the most desired market for telecommunication companies. From Metro PCS to Boost Mobile and Verizon, these companies have increased their market share in order to reach this audience in 2015, a trend that will continue to grow next year, according to NAHP’s latest data, that shows that more than 49% of Latinos are planning for change their smartphones in the next six months.”
3. Online video is the most effective medium for Latino content.
Maria Goycoolea, social engagement supervisor, MXM: “ Latino families spend most of their leisure time at home consuming content. Aside from broadcast TV, Latino Millennials — who we all know are one of the predominant cohorts among Latinos — are more likely to also utilize online video sources or streaming services for content consumption. Nielsen also states that ‘Latinos stream 6 hours and 15 minutes of online video per month, 60% more than non-Hispanic users.’ To remain being relevant and win U.S. Latino, marketers and brands will put more emphasis on video content specifically targeted to and designed for Latino families.”