Research on polyglots [those mastering five or more languages] offers fascinating insights into how our brains handle multiple languages. A recent fMRI study [no paywall- yay!] looked at the language networks of 34 polyglots, including 16 hyperpolyglots [speaking 10+ languages].
Results showed that higher-proficiency L2s activate the brain more than less familiar ones. Surprisingly, participants’ native language elicited a similar or even lower response than non-native languages of similar proficiency. This suggests that while proficiency generally leads to deeper brain engagement, our L1 might require less effort to process, potentially because it’s so familiar that the brain can handle it more efficiently, using fewer cognitive resources.
Notably, even completely unfamiliar languages engaged the language network, but those typologically related to the polyglot’s known languages (e.g., a Dutch speaker hearing Afrikaans) triggered a stronger response compared to unrelated ones. This suggests that our brain might “recognise” patterns from known languages, even if it doesn’t fully understand the unfamiliar one, in spite of the fact that no formal learning has taken place.
In essence, the brain’s response seems to be shaped by proficiency & familiarity, engaging more strongly with languages that require active linguistic computations.
Teacher Takeaways?:
- Leverage a Cross-Linguistic Approach: When teaching, draw on grammatical similarities. Focusing on how the learners’ L2 aligns with their L1 might activate existing neural pathways & support faster learning.
- Comprehensible Input Hypothesis (Input +1): The study seems to align with Krashen’s theory [I would argue], which suggests that language learners acquire new languages best when they are exposed to input slightly beyond their current level of competence. So, expose students to a wide range of linguistic inputs —they may not understand it all, but their brains will enjoy the workout!
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