A large-scale study of more than 86,000 individuals across 27 European countries finds that people who speak more than one language tend to exhibit slower biological ageing compared to monolingual individuals. The researchers show that multilingualism corresponds with healthier functional and cognitive profiles, and the effect increases with the number of languages spoken. While the study does not claim direct causation, it presents multilingualism as a strong “protective factor” alongside other health behaviours. (ARA)
This finding has major resonance for our field of multilingualism, language identity and language education.
For students of philology: your language practices are not just cultural or communicative—they may in fact contribute to long‐term cognitive and physical resilience. The study nudges us to reconceive multilingualism as public health as well as academic resource.
It also raises questions about inequality: if monolingualism correlates with faster ageing, then schools, policy-makers and educators may have a responsibility not only to teach languages but to embed multilingual practices in everyday life. Finally, from a research standpoint, this bridges language policy, neuroscience and lifespan studies—classic examples of interdisciplinarity our seminars promote.
- Given the study’s findings, how might language education in your region change? Should programmes emphasise active multilingual practice rather than just language knowledge?
- Do you see your own linguistic repertoires (e.g., Spanish + English + dialect) as a resource for cognitive ageing—or is multilingualism still framed only as a “skill” or “project”?
- What barriers might prevent multilingualism from being a realistic public health strategy (access, resources, ideology, socio-economic factors)?