The Benefits of Multilingualism
Multilingualism is good for the economy, researchers have found.
研究人员发现，多语能力对经济有益。
Countries that actively nurture different languages reap a range of rewards, from more successful exports to a more innovative workforce.
积极培育多种语言的国家会收获一系列好处，从更成功的出口贸易到更具创新能力的劳动力队伍。
"Language matters on a large-scale national level and at the level of smaller businesses,"says Gabrielle, a research fellow in Language Studies at the University of Bristol, citing data that links economic growth to linguistic diversity.
布里斯托大学语言研究研究员加布里埃尔引用了将经济增长与语言多样性联系起来的数据，并表示：“语言在国家层面的宏观领域以及小型企业层面都至关重要。”
Switzerland, for example, attributes 10% of its GDP to its multilingual heritage. The country has four national languages: German, French, Italian and an ancient Latin-based language called Romansh.
例如，瑞士将其国内生产总值的10%归功于其多语传统。这个国家有四种官方语言：德语、法语、意大利语以及一种古老的基于拉丁语的语言——罗曼什语。
Britain, on the other hand, is estimated to lose out on the equivalent of 3.5% of its GDP every year, because of its population's relatively poor language skills.
另一方面，据估计，英国每年因民众相对较差的语言技能而损失相当于其国内生产总值3.5%的收入。
This may be partly because languages can help build trade relations. A study of small and medium-size companies in Sweden, Germany, Denmark and France found that those which invested more in languages were able to export more goods.
这可能部分是因为语言有助于建立贸易关系。一项对瑞典、德国、丹麦和法国的中小企业的研究发现，那些在语言方面投入更多的企业能够出口更多的商品。
German companies that invested heavily in multilingual staff added 10 export countries to their market. Companies that invested less said they missed out on contracts.
在多语员工方面投入巨大的德国公司将其出口市场增加了10个国家。而投入较少的公司则表示他们错失了一些合同。
Researchers have also long highlighted the individual benefits of speaking more than one language.
研究人员也长期强调掌握多种语言对个人的益处。
For those who find languages difficult, the good news is that you do not have to be fluent to feel a positive impact.
对于那些觉得学习语言困难的人来说，好消息是，你不必达到流利的程度就能感受到积极的影响。
Several studies show that languages boost earning power. In Florida, workers who speak both Spanish and English earn $7,000 per year more than those who only speak English.
多项研究表明，掌握多种语言能提高赚钱能力。在佛罗里达州，既会说西班牙语又会说英语的工人比只会说英语的工人每年多挣7000美元。
According to a Canadian study, bilingual men earn 3.6% and bilingual women earn 6.6% more than their English-only peers. The twist: this was true even if they didn't use their second language for work.
根据加拿大的一项研究，会说两种语言的男性比只会说英语的男性收入高3.6%，会说两种语言的女性比只会说英语的女性收入高6.6%。意外的是：即使他们在工作中不使用第二语言，情况也是如此。
"It seems you don't have to actually speak a second language on the job to reap the financial rewards of being bilingual," says economics professor Louis Christofides, one of the authors of the study.
该研究的作者之一、经济学教授路易斯·克里斯托菲德斯说：“似乎你不必在工作中实际使用第二语言，就能获得掌握两种语言所带来的经济回报。”
The authors speculated that this was because knowing a second language was seen a sign of cognitive power, perseverance and a good education.
作者推测，这是因为掌握第二语言被视为认知能力、毅力和良好教育的标志。
Beyond these immediate economic rewards, languages can help a country's workforce in more subtle, long-term ways.
除了这些直接的经济回报之外，语言还能以更微妙、更长远的方式帮助一个国家的劳动力队伍。
Multilingualism has for example been shown to be good for brain health, delaying the onset of dementia.It has also been associated with a better ability to concentrate and process information.
例如，多语能力已被证明对大脑健康有益，能延缓痴呆症的发作。它还与更强的注意力和信息处理能力相关。
The effects are strongest in people who were multilingual from a young age, but acquiring languages later still made a difference.
这种影响在从小就掌握多种语言的人身上最为明显，但在后期学习语言仍然会产生影响。
翻译：豆包
整理：2025年3月21日于经典龙苑
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