LibraryScenariosWhy You Feel Smart in One Language and Lost in Another
Scenario

Why You Feel Smart in One Language and Lost in Another

At work I'm sharp and articulate in English but at family dinner I feel stupid because my Arabic isn't sophisticated enough for complex ideas.

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More people experience this than they realize.

What we've seen

Different languages develop different aspects of intellectual capacity, creating internal hierarchies of cognitive confidence.

Ideas that help explain it
Worth thinking about

“Where Are You with Multilingualism and its gifts?”

If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.