Most heritage languages are lost after the third generation. It becomes increasingly difficult for younger family members to keep up with their mother tongue, especially if elders are absent. But preserving a language is not just about holding onto words and phrases; it’s about building identity and learning your history. There are plenty of practical benefits, like enhancing your resume, comfortably conversing with elders, and confidently navigating a county solo. However, many hidden, unexpected advantages come with keeping your mother tongue. So, I will be explaining the less-discussed perks of being bilingual.
First, you get double the memes. Need I say more? Although memes have become a global language of their own, almost every country has its own memes that outsiders don’t understand. There are millions, if not billions, of memes that we will never come to know because of language barriers, and it’s heartbreaking. You can start preventing this by completing your daily Duolingo lesson (this is not sponsored by Duolingo).
You also get double the music. Not only that, but you can find really amazing songs that sample your native language. Fun fact: “Big Pimpin’” by Jay-Z sampled “Khosara,” an Egyptian beat. He got sued for that; that’s how you know it’s great (my mother shed a tear when I played it for her, not because it was good, but because she was offended).
Some people also just find it hot. Even if you consider the language to be “ugly” (I’m referring to the Iraqi dialect), somewhere out there, someone finds it incredibly attractive. Bonus points if you look nothing like your stereotypical ethnic background. I’ve seen Ed Sheeran’s doppelganger spew out better Arabic than me. And it leaves you so impressed, but also uneasy because it’s like — that’s not supposed to be coming out of you.
And probably the most fun of all, eavesdropping on other people. I can’t tell you how much fun I’ve had listening to people say horrible things about others and then chuckle a bit. The way their eyes light up (both in fear and happiness) is an experience everyone should have. Bonus points if they are talking badly about you, and then you can clap back so hard it makes them want to befriend you.
It certainly isn’t an easy task, and you might run the risk of putting your kid in English Second Language (ESL)courses. However, as a child who did have to take those classes, I can reassure you that it was quite a time. They took every foreign kid, stuck us into a classroom, and made us figure it out (no one understood each other, but we had the most fun). So, this is a sign to keep your mother tongue alive.
