creativity

How Bilingualism Enhances Your Creative Flow

A good friend recently sent me a clip of video philosopher Jason Silva commenting on an article in Fast Company. Silva, who is bilingual and multicultural, resonates with the assertion that those who are bilingual and multicultural have multiplied channels of creativity. This is certainly true of those who are raised in bilingual families. But the benefits are multitudinous for anyone who learns another language, no matter when they undertake it. This is due to the fact that when you learn to express yourself in another language, you are not simply replacing English words with other words; you are accessing parts of your brain that have had to develop, through exercise, that had not previously been developed. Creativity is not relegated to the arts; it can and should pervade every sphere of human activity. More on that later!

Are you bilingual? How has this enhanced your creative processes?