In this article, I aim to give you an overview of who bilinguals are and what it is like to be one. By sharing some of my personal experiences, I’ll talk about the benefits and drawbacks associated with bilingualism. My goal with this article is present you with the phenomenon based on personal opinion and experiences, but it’s not made to offer scientific research and explanations and possible solutions to the concerns raised.

Bilinguals are individuals who have the ability to communicate fluently in two different languages. This includes understanding, speaking, reading, and writing in both languages. 

The extent of fluency can vary; some bilinguals may have equal proficiency in both languages, while others might be more dominant in one language over the other.

Two types of bilingualism can be distinguished:

Simultaneous bilingualism occurs when a person learns two languages from birth or early childhood.

Sequential bilingualism happens when a person learns a second language after establishing a foundation in their first language, usually during childhood or later in life.

For instance, I’m a member of the latter variety. I’m a 29-year-old native Hungarian, but I started learning English on my own at the age of eleven.

Over the years, my knowledge of the language and my skills have grown, and now it’s safe to say that I’m a confident user of English. However, I’ve also observed that my language skills in my native tongue have deteriorated over time. Not long ago, I found articles I’d written when I was 19 years old, and I was surprised by how advanced my wording was compared to the struggle it’d be for me now to edit an article at a similar level in Hungarian.

I came to realize that the true meaning of bilingualism is not simply being able to communicate fluently in two different languages. Becoming bilingual, especially as a sequential one, means constantly confusing the two languages and struggling to find the right words. 

By not focusing dominantly on one language, one loses the chance to master either. Even if it seems that I hold everything together, in reality, even when I am alone with my thoughts, I frequently encounter situations where I am unsure how to express them in any of the languages I allegedly know. English is my second language, so I would understand if there were words I was uncertain of. 

However, on numerous occasions, when I try to think something through in my first language, my mind is flooded with English expressions, and no matter how hard I try to translate them into Hungarian, I often need a dictionary to find the right words in my native language.

I once told one of my students: ‘Being a bilingual doesn’t mean you can speak two languages. It means that you can speak none.’ I said this a long time ago, but I still stand by my words. 

If I’d had the slightest clue that this would happen to me one day, believe me, I never would’ve started learning English in the first place. It might sound like an exaggeration, and in some ways, it is. But the question remains: Who would’ve thought that something generally considered so positive and beneficial could have such dreadful consequences?

At the very beginning of the article, I promised I’d show some benefits of bilingualism. To be honest, I don’t believe there is one, so, I have to correct myself here.

Although being able to fluently communicate in English does have its perks, if you’re a non-native English speaker, you’re doomed because it means you have to be bilingual in order to know English, but it also involves carrying all the disadvantages of being one.

This is especially true for those working in an English-speaking environment and spending most of their leisure time on activities that require English, while their family and most of their friends only speak their first language.

This way, it feels as if you’re living two separate lives. In today’s world, when you see a meme or a funny video online, your immediate reaction is to send it to your friends. But if you’re friends don’t speak English, you can’t share it with them and they can’t share a laugh with you.

Watching TV shows, a popular hobby these days, is all about sharing stories. Creators share them with you, and you share them with your family and friends. But if they don’t speak English and the best TV shows are only available in English, you’ll miss out on the chance to share those experiences with them. Therefore, being able to speak English has its power, but it comes with a lot of baggage in everyday life as well.

Moreover, whenever I start considering launching a new project, I start wondering which language I would be more comfortable with to use, which is an eternal dilemma inside me. Naturally, it depends on other factors such as audience as well.

Nevertheless, to present an unbiased article, I must add this: While my personal experience has been challenging, research often points to cognitive, social, and professional benefits of bilingualism.

There is a possibility that the issue is the way I handle the negative aspects of being a bilingual. It might be possible that I have a hard time and must work on accepting the fact that there are certain experiences in life I will never be able to share with the people around me.

Furthermore, I have to accept the fact that my brain will always work with two languages, which can sometimes cause glitches and momentary struggles. However, it is also a possible outcome that I benefit more from them in the long run.