It is common for Asians to know at least two languages: their native language and a secondary language. Singapore alone has four official languages: Malay, English, Tamil, and Mandarin. It is perhaps due to the history of colonialism in many Asian countries and the adaptation to tourism. Asian migrants also learn the language of the country they immigrated to. It is not surprising for parents to enrol their kids in a Mandarin or English tuition centre in Singapore.

But did you know that being a bilingual, multilingual, or polyglot has an advantage? Learn more about them here.

What Sets A Multilingual Person Apart?

ZiadFazah and Powell Janulus are only a few of many acclaimed polyglots in history. Both people are fluent in more than 40 languages.

Learning your second or third language is not uncommon. Some students enrol in a secondary English tuition centre in Singapore, while others study the language through mobile apps. People learn different languages for several reasons, such as career boost, cultural immersion, and immigration. But how does knowing more than one language set you apart?

Bilingual, Multilingual, and Polyglot

These three terms refer to people who know more than one language. However, there are slight differences between these three names.

Bilingual

A bilingual is a person or country who communicates in not more than two languages with high proficiency. Kids who speak their native language and are on their way to learning their second language through primary English tuition in Singapore can be called bilinguals once they have the ideal proficiency.

Multilingual

A multilingual is a person or country who communicates in two or more languages with high proficiency.

Polyglot

Polyglot is synonymous with multilingualism. They both describe a person who can speak many languages. The main difference is the etymology of the words.

Multilingual has a Latin origin with “multus”, meaning “many or much”, and “lingua”, meaning “language and tongue.”

On the other hand, polyglot has a Greek origin with “polys”, meaning “many”, and “glotta, glossa”, meaning “language, tongue.”

Things That Set Bilinguals And Polyglots Apart From Monolinguals

If you are a bilingual or polyglot or planning to be one by enrolling in secondary English tuition centres in Singapore, you need to know these five things.

1. Bilinguals and Polyglots are smarter!

A study from Georgetown University Medical Centre in Washington DC has found that bilingual people are better at tasks requiring attention, inhibition and short-term memory, giving them cognitive advantages over monolinguals.

2. Bilingual and Polyglot talents are in demand.

According to the report of New American Economy (NAE) in 2015, US companies’ demand for bilingual and multilingual talent has doubled within five years.

This trajectory is advantageous for people looking for career opportunities abroad. If you want a career boost in the future, it is better to invest early on by enrolling your kid in English creative writing classes for primary school.

3. Bilinguals and Polyglots are more resilient against dementia caused by Alzheimer’s Disease.

Dementia is a disorder where a person loses cognitive function, such as remembering, thinking, and reasoning. People with dementia also experience frequent mood swings, personality changes, and uncontrolled emotions.

There are no clear causes of dementia, but some disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, contribute to its development.

People who speak more than one language are more likely to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s Diseaseand eventually dementia, according to a study conducted by Alzheimer’s Society in the UK. People who speak multiple languages have better functional connections between areas of the brain related to executive control. These stronger connections act as protection against dementia.

If you want to delay dementia, you might want to learn your second or third language from an English tuition centre in Singapore at an early age.

Now you know the things that make bilinguals and polyglots special, it is time to discover which is the best language you should learn.

5 Reasons Why You Should Learn The English Language

There are more than 7,000 languages in the world, and over 1,500 are on the brink of extinction. So you may ask, out of 7,000 languages, why should you learn English?

1. Lingua Franca

According to Statista, there are 1.5 billion people in the world who speak English. Furthermore, around 67 countries have English as their official language, including Singapore. No wonder creative writing classes for primary school are typical in the country.

It will be easier for people fluent in English to travel around the world and communicate with different people with English as a lingua franca.

2. Opportunity in education

This 2022, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of Oxford, Stanford University, University Of Cambridge, and Harvard University are the top five universities in the world, according to the QS World University Rankings. Do you know what these exemplary universities have in common? Their primary language– English.

If you want your child to get the best education from the most outstanding universities, enrol them in an English tuition centre in Singapore first.

3. English content and media

Most academic papers are written in English. Meanwhile, entertainment content, such as films, shows, and award-winning documentaries, is mostly in the English language.

If you are a consumer of quality content, whether written or not, knowing English will give you tons of options to consume.

4. Business and career boost

English as your second language increases your career and business opportunities in Singapore and globally. As mentioned in the earlier part of the article, many companies today prefer bilingual talents.

5. Easier cultural immersion

More than 50 countries have English as their official language. Learning and immersing in the culture of these countries is much easier without the language barrier.

So if you dream of travelling around the world, better enrol in a secondary English tuition centre in Singapore today.

Conclusion

You can get tons of benefits from learning more than one language. You can level up these benefits if you choose English as your second or third language.