What Language Switching Looks Like in Your Brain

What Language Switching Looks Like in Your Brain

Language isn’t just stored in one part of your brain. It’s a distributed process that involves multiple regions of your brain. The Broca’s Area plays a crucial role in language production. The Wernicke’s Area works on comprehending the words you’re reading or seeing. The Prefrontal cortex assists in switching and managing the languages you’re using and when, amongst any other things. When you’re bilingual or multilingual, all of these areas work together more intensely than for someone who only speaks one language.

When someone’s switching languages, their brains are constantly making rapid decisions like what words to use, what language to use, and how to switch between the languages that you know. But switching languages, also called code-switching, isn’t just about vocabulary, it’s also about sentence structure, grammar, and even cultural norms. Balancing all of these features and activating or suppressing either language all at once requires tons of  executive function and builds your ability to control what’s going on in your mind! This is why bilingual or multilingual individuals commonly show stronger abilities in task switching, focus and attention, and problem solving.

Fun Fact: Studies show that bilinguals tend to perform better on tasks that require them to ignore distractions. This is most likely because their brains are used to focusing on one language or another that they’re already super powered in those skills!

Brain Structure Changes from Language Switching

Being bilingual for a long time can actually change the shape of your brain! Scientists have found that bilingualism increases the grey matter in the parts of the brain related to language and focus amongst early learners. Research has also found that early bilinguals have a thicker anterior cingulate cortex, which is an area of the brain that helps you stay in control when both languages try to work at the same time. So speaking another language not only builds a skill but can literally sculpt your brain to make it stronger, faster, and more flexible.

The speed at which someone can switch languages can also improve over time! Proficient bilinguals can switch languages within 200 to 300 milliseconds. That’s faster than the blink of an eye! But the speed can vary based on language proficiency, how similar the two languages are, context, and emotional state. Getting to speeds this fast is possible thanks to a process called myelination, which is when connections that are used frequently are made to go even faster! This is the same process that makes the saying “Practice makes the hard things easy” true.

Language Switching and Personality Shifts?

Here’s something mind blowing! Switching languages can also switch how you feel. Many bilinguals report feeling like a slightly different person depending on the language they’re speaking. Why? Because different languages carry different cultural norms or emotional associations. For example, in some languages people tend to be more formal or direct. In others, they’re more casual or expressive. So if you feel more confident, funny, or more reserved when speaking another language, you’re not imaging it. You brain adapts socially as well as linguistically.

Multiple studies back up personality shifts like this. A study from the University of Chicago found that bilinguals make more rational decisions when speaking in their non-native language. This is because emotional bias is reduced when you’re speaking your non-native language. This was also backed up by MRI studies which found increased activity in the prefrontal cortex that’s associated with inhibition and conflict resolution.

Practical Benefits of Language Switching

But what does this all mean for you? If you’re learning a second language then you’re not just picking up grammar, you’re upgrading your neural circuitry. Even short-term language learning can improve memory, boost focus, and delay cognitive aging. That’s right! Language learning is associated with later onset of dementia.

And if you’re struggling with switching fluently, don’t stress. Just by beginning to switch languages, you’ll actively start to build up the muscles in your brain. And over time, that mental muscle becomes more efficient which will make it feel faster and even natural.

If you want to improve your language switching skills, we recommend trying these techniques to get started:

• practice both languages daily – even just for 5-10 minutes
• label things in your environment
• talk to yourself out loud – to reinforce language switching
• use language apps that have spaced repetition
• watch bilingual media to listen to natural language switching

Try out these things to get started! With practice you’ll get a sharper, more flexible mind in no time.

VIDEO – What Happens to Your Brain When You Switch Languages

If you’d like to see see more information on this topic, click the video below. This video is in English but has subtitles available in 6 languages if you’d like to get in some practice already! Just click the gear in the bottom right corner to practice switching languages right now!

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