IIT Guwahati Research Finds the Importance of Bilingualism in Multilingual and Multicultural Communities

New Delhi: IIT Guwahati conducted a significant study, where the researchers focused on the advantages of bilingualism in diverse societies, particularly within North East India. The study by the Centre for Linguistic Science and Technology and the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at IIT Guwahati underlined the benefits of speaking more than one language, especially when individuals frequently switch between languages in their everyday conversations.

The research primarily targeted various Naga-speaking communities, with bilingual individuals who initially spoke languages from the Naga linguistic group. Dr. Bidisha Som, an Associate Professor in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences IITG Faculty, highlighted the participation of eighty Ao-Sangtam and eighty Ao-English individuals in the study.

What was the Aim of IITG Research?

The research aimed to delve into the impact of bilingualism among indigenous language speakers, within a non-immigrant and diverse population, as mentioned by Opangienla Kechu, a faculty member at Dimapur's Testo College and part of the research team.

Dr. Som emphasized the distinct backgrounds of the participants. The Ao-Sangtam group, originally from Nagaland, has experienced life in a diverse cultural and linguistic environment for an extended period. In contrast, the Ao-English participants, also from Nagaland, are university students studying in regions across India where English is the primary language.

Dr. Som highlighted the significance of their study, stating, "Northeast India is unique in its linguistic and cultural diversity. We have taken the first steps towards understanding the relationship between language use and non-linguistic cognition. This region holds valuable lessons for us."

The research concluded that bilingual individuals exhibited enhanced performance in non-verbal tasks compared to monolinguals. These tasks require various cognitive control processes, including conflict resolution, attention management, task-switching, information updating, and working memory. This bilingual advantage was noted through translation recognition and lexical decision tasks employed during the study.

The study, notable for its real-life approach, adapted test packages to suit real-life scenarios rather than conventional lab settings. This methodology provided a higher level of generalizability to theories within this domain, offering insights into the complex interplay between language and cognition in diverse communities.

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