Rasheed Harding
“Gibberish” is such an abused word. It lexically describes “total nonsense,” yet is a word frequently used to describe incomprehensible languages. Nonsense implies something with no existing context that nobody would understand. Language exists in context, and within that context lies a powerful engine of advantage that can only be accessed by those proficient in more than one language.
In my experience, bilingualism opens doors to an entirely new world of communication and can provide people an edge in navigating our confusing world. In fact, I’ve found that even “gibberish” born from bilingualism can ultimately become a utilizable language unto itself.
I was born in the U.S. but lived and graduated from high school in the Middle East, an environment in which I had no choice but to quickly become fluent in Arabic. I also quickly realized a neat advantage I had over my peers: I could always understand them, but they couldn’t say the same about me. It was very easy, and quite satisfying, to switch over to English every now and then to get things off my chest or communicate in a “coded” message.
It wasn’t until I attended an international school that I fully realized the potential of language. You see, bilingualism can introduce you to a plethora of idioms, expressions, proverbs and slang that, in certain situations, can articulate your thoughts and feelings much more succinctly than those of your primary tongue. There are even cultural body languages, including hand and facial gestures, that come attached to and greatly complement verbal ones.
In this new environment, everyone else could also speak two languages, often more. Unfortunately, I could no longer “hide” behind English anymore. The upside was this enormous relief that I no longer had to limit how I expressed myself; if English didn’t do the trick, I could switch over to Arabic to get my point across and vice versa. I was soon integrated into a culture where language was indeed status; depending on your proficiency, you could end up getting left behind or reaping countless social and personal benefits.
Coming to college was an even greater eye-opener for me. Most, if not all, of us can relate to switching academic atmospheres and cultures. There is a socially taxing element to surviving in a university, typically concerning fitting in or finding your place. Depending on a student’s personality and circumstances, the effects of this element can be tremendously rewarding or horrendously devastating.
Thankfully, language, particularly bilingualism, contributes to the rewarding aspect of a typical college lifestyle. The most glaring advantage of bilingualism pertaining to college is, of course, in foreign language requirements.
Upon transferring to NC State, I observed a common opportunistic theme among bilingual students. They either took and aced the different course levels of non-English languages, or simply waived those requirements altogether due to their proficiency. The decision usually came down to a sort of cost-benefit analysis of their academic and social priorities.
Many students simply take the courses with the mindset of accumulating easy credits. Otherwise, with a waiver, they would have to make up the missing credits with electives. A contrary perspective of choosing this route is to give themselves more academic flexibility. That space can come in handy if said student is at risk, credits-wise, of going over.
Additionally, research has been conducted concerning the influence of multiple language proficiency on convergent and divergent thinking. A high bilingual proficiency produces advantages in the realms of pattern recognition and logical thought, both of which are essential in bringing together multiple ideas and concepts to develop an overarching (convergent) solution. A lower bilingual proficiency produces advantages in the complexity and flexibility required to take a single idea or concept and produce multiple (divergent) solutions.
Another important utilization of multiple languages is in the process of social navigation and transition. Within the scope of bilingualism, social variety and opportunities are found. A language can provide a richer platform for meeting new and interesting people across diverse cultures and ethnicities. It can also assist in finding and connecting with people in a new environment whom share similar backgrounds.
There are certain qualities people have that can only be unveiled by shared language. There is a deeper commitment to understand one another, develop niche cultures and expand on established ones by linguistically interacting in different contexts and with different techniques. Eventually, as multiple languages communicatively interact, they can at times culminate into a new language altogether.
I have observed an example of this before and after I started attending college. I’ve made a few friends and acquaintances with slightly similar backgrounds and cultural circumstances. We all share the same language proficiencies and communicate in a pseudo-language developed for social media.
Arabic and English do not share an alphabet. Therefore, by combining symbols (typically numbers) that resemble Arabic letters with English ones, we can form “words” that, when enunciated, are phonetically Arabic words. This pseudo-language comes in handy when one needs to quickly make a point or express something without switching between language options. The exact origins of this ingenuity are a mystery to me, but my first and lasting impressions are how ridiculously fun and useful it is.
Without both languages under their belt, one would instantly perceive this “language” as “gibberish’” yet it is that very nature of this pseudo-language that strengthens the bonds of its users. After all, what is more indicative of a friendship than an “exclusive” language? Using this trick takes me back to a time when people revealed truer versions of themselves either by choosing to understand me or by helping me understand them.
Language, after all, is a gift we give to ourselves. Why limit ourselves to one?