Can You Wake Up Fluent in a Foreign Language?

Summary

This intriguing script delves into the fascinating phenomenon of individuals who wake up unexpectedly fluent in a foreign language or speaking with an unfamiliar accent after suffering brain injuries or undergoing medical procedures. It presents numerous real-life stories of people from around the world who have experienced such bewildering linguistic transformations. The script then unveils the scientific explanations behind these occurrences, shedding light on conditions like bilingual aphasia and foreign accent syndrome, where the brain rewires itself to prioritize a previously learned language or alters speech patterns, leading to perceived accents. The narrative is laced with humor and suspense, leaving viewers pondering the implications and possible advantages of inadvertently acquiring linguistic abilities in such extraordinary circumstances.

Takeaways

• 😮 Some people have woken up speaking a foreign language or with a different accent after an injury, coma, or medical procedure involving the brain.
• 🧠 This phenomenon of suddenly gaining fluency in a previously learned language is called bilingual aphasia, where the brain relies on the undamaged language center.
• 🗣️ Developing a foreign accent after brain trauma is known as foreign accent syndrome, caused by impairment in the brain's control over speech melody and rhythm.
• 🌐 These linguistic changes often occur when the native language center is damaged, and the brain compensates by utilizing another language or accent.
• 💫 The newly acquired language or accent skills are often spoken with surprising fluency and confidence, as if they were the person's native tongue.
• 📖 Stories and personal experiences play a crucial role in language learning and memory retention.
• 🤔 The script raises intriguing questions about the implications of such linguistic changes, such as potential discrimination or employment issues.
• 🧪 The cases presented serve as clues to unravel the scientific explanations behind these fascinating linguistic phenomena.
• 👂 The script challenges the viewer to consider their preferences between losing their native language or accent.
• 🔍 An upcoming video promises to delve deeper into the potential consequences of having a "weird" accent in professional settings.

Q & A

What is the main topic discussed in the script?

The script explores cases of people waking up with an unexpected ability to speak a foreign language or developing a foreign accent after a brain injury, coma, or medical procedure.

What condition is described for people who suddenly become fluent in a second language after a brain trauma?

The condition is called bilingual aphasia, where the brain's damaged area that controls the native language is bypassed, allowing access to the previously learned second language.

What is foreign accent syndrome, and how does it relate to the cases discussed?

Foreign accent syndrome is a rare speech disorder where brain damage causes mispronunciation of sounds, giving the impression that the person has acquired a foreign accent, even though they have not actually learned a new language.

What was the case with Ben, the Australian man who woke up speaking Mandarin?

Ben had learned some basic Mandarin in high school, but the car accident he was in caused his brain to rely on and improve his Mandarin fluency while his English abilities were temporarily impaired.

How did Ben's experience with speaking Mandarin after the accident impact his life?

Ben took the experience as a sign and pursued further Mandarin studies at the university level, eventually becoming fluent enough to appear on Chinese television.

What is the potential connection between language learning and sleep mentioned in the script?

The script suggests that even for beginner language learners, the language they are learning may be absorbed subconsciously, and reading stories before bedtime could help the language sink in during sleep.

What is the implication of the script regarding discrimination against people with foreign accents?

The script mentions cases of discrimination and rude behavior towards people who suddenly developed foreign accents, as they were perceived as foreign or brain-damaged.

What is the potential legal issue mentioned regarding having a foreign accent?

The script raises the question of whether having a weird accent could potentially lead to someone being fired from their job, implying potential employment discrimination based on accent.

How does the script highlight the power of storytelling in language learning?

The script emphasizes that stories are a powerful language learning tool because they aid in memorization and retention of new languages, and it mentions the host's obsession with the story learning method of language acquisition.

What is the purpose of including the joke about accents towards the end of the script?

The joke about never hearing stories of someone waking up with a stereotypical American accent is used to lightheartedly point out the bias and assumptions people make about accents, leading into the scientific explanations provided in the script.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 The Mystery of Waking Up with a New Language or Accent

The video script introduces several people who woke up speaking a foreign language or with a different accent after accidents, injuries, or medical procedures. It highlights intriguing cases like an American woman who woke up with a Romanian-like accent after a dental visit, a British woman with multiple accents after being in the hospital, an Australian man who could only speak Mandarin Chinese after a car accident, and others who experienced similar phenomena. The script builds suspense by providing clues and teasing a scientific explanation, keeping the viewer engaged and curious.

05:01

😮 The Emotional Toll and Personal Struggles

This paragraph delves into the profound emotional impact and personal struggles faced by individuals who unexpectedly wake up with a new accent or language. It highlights the distress, discrimination, and societal treatment they endure, as well as the difficulties in adjusting to their new reality. The script includes emotional testimonies and real-life examples, such as the singer George Michael's experience with a West Country accent after a near-death experience. The paragraph emphasizes the human aspect of this phenomenon, making it relatable and thought-provoking.

10:02

🧠 The Scientific Explanation Behind the Phenomenon

This paragraph finally reveals the scientific explanations behind waking up with a new language or accent. It introduces the concept of bilingual aphasia, where an accident or injury damages the part of the brain responsible for the native language, causing the individual to resort to a second language they had previously learned. It also explains foreign accent syndrome, a speech disorder that alters the melody and rhythm of speech, making it sound like a foreign accent to others. The paragraph provides insights into the brain's ability to access and utilize language knowledge, even if it was previously subconscious or basic. It concludes with a teaser about an upcoming video addressing a related topic, maintaining the viewer's interest.

Keywords

💡Foreign accent syndrome

Foreign accent syndrome is a rare speech disorder where brain injury causes someone to be perceived as speaking with a foreign accent. This is not an actual foreign accent, but rather a result of impaired control over the rhythm and melody of speech. The video mentions Emily, who was perceived as having French, Italian, Russian, and Polish accents after her brain injury, even though she had not learned those languages. This condition illustrates how our brains can be misinterpreted as producing accents when the speech patterns are altered.

💡Bilingual aphasia

Bilingual aphasia refers to a condition where someone who knows multiple languages experiences language impairment after a brain injury or trauma. The injury can cause one language to become more dominant or accessible than others. The video cites the case of Ben, an Australian who could only speak Mandarin Chinese after a car accident, despite having just basic knowledge of the language before. His English abilities were impaired, allowing his limited Mandarin skills to surface more fluently. This demonstrates how the brain can prioritize one language over others following injury.

💡Language acquisition

Language acquisition refers to the process of learning a new language, often subconsciously absorbing vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation over time through exposure and practice. The video suggests that Ben and the two footballers had unknowingly acquired some proficiency in Mandarin and other languages through passive listening, which their brains then accessed more fluently after their English abilities were impaired. This highlights how language learning can occur without conscious effort, and the brain stores this knowledge to potentially utilize later.

💡Inhibitions

Inhibitions refer to the constraints or self-consciousness that often limit our behavior or expression. The video notes that when these individuals woke up speaking a different language fluently, they did so with confidence and without inhibitions, as they believed they were speaking their native tongue. This lack of self-monitoring or hesitation allowed them to speak the new language more naturally and smoothly, unhindered by the typical insecurities of a language learner. The brain's belief that it was using the 'correct' language removed psychological barriers.

💡Coma

A coma is a state of unconsciousness where a person is alive but unable to respond to external stimuli or wake up voluntarily. Several cases mentioned in the video involved individuals waking up from comas and exhibiting unexpected language abilities or accents. The brain trauma or injury that induced the coma likely disrupted language centers and pathways, leading to the subsequent linguistic changes upon regaining consciousness. Comas represent a significant brain event that can profoundly impact neurolinguistic functions.

💡Experimental drug

An experimental drug refers to a medication or treatment that is still in the testing phase and has not yet been approved for widespread use. The video mentions that Rory, a footballer, was given an experimental drug while in a coma, and upon waking up, he spoke fluent French with a Normandy accent. This experimental treatment may have played a role in altering his language abilities or perception, though the exact mechanisms are unclear. The mention highlights the potential risks and unintended effects of untested medical interventions on the brain.

💡Discrimination

Discrimination refers to the unjust treatment or prejudice towards someone based on certain characteristics or differences. Several individuals in the video reported facing discrimination due to their sudden foreign accents or language changes, with people treating them as if they were 'foreign' or 'brain damaged.' This underscores the societal biases and assumptions that can arise when someone's speech or language deviates from expected norms, leading to unfair judgments and alienation. The video highlights the challenges these individuals faced in being accepted within their communities.

💡Story learning

Story learning is a language acquisition method mentioned in the video, which involves using stories and narratives as tools for learning new languages. The video suggests that stories have a powerful capacity to aid in remembering and internalizing new vocabulary, grammar, and language patterns. By embedding language learning within engaging narratives, the brain can more effectively retain and contextualize the new information. The video promotes the idea of using story learning as an effective and enjoyable way to acquire languages, capitalizing on the brain's natural affinity for storytelling.

💡Brain injury

Brain injury refers to any trauma, damage, or impairment to the brain, often resulting from accidents, strokes, or other medical conditions. The video focuses on cases where individuals experienced various language and speech changes after suffering brain injuries, such as head injuries, migraines, or other neurological events. These injuries likely impacted the language centers or pathways in the brain, leading to the emergence of foreign accents, language switching, or disruptions in speech patterns. Brain injuries highlight the complex interplay between neurobiology and linguistic abilities.

💡Native language

A native language, also known as a first language or mother tongue, refers to the language that an individual learns from birth and acquires naturally as a child. The video explores cases where individuals temporarily lost the ability to speak or comprehend their native language after brain injuries or trauma. This loss of their primary linguistic foundation was often disorienting and distressing, as it challenged their sense of identity and communication abilities. The contrasts between retaining or forgetting one's native language shed light on the profound connections between language, cognition, and personal identity.

Highlights

Karen, an American mom from Oregon, woke up with a Romanian-like accent after a dentist visit.

Emily from the UK developed multiple accents like French, Italian, Russian, and Polish after being in the hospital.

Ben, a young Australian, could only speak Mandarin Chinese after waking up from a coma caused by a car accident.

A 16-year-old American boy started speaking Spanish after a coma, despite only knowing a few words before.

Rory, an English footballer, woke up speaking French with a Normandy accent after being in a coma.

Sarah, a British woman, woke up with a Chinese accent after a severe migraine.

People with foreign accent syndrome mispronounce sounds due to brain injury, making them sound like they have a foreign accent.

Bilingual aphasia can cause improved fluency in a person's second language after brain injury damages their native language ability.

Ben's brain likely knew more Mandarin than he thought, which became accessible after his English was impaired.

People in these cases spoke their new language confidently, as they thought it was their native tongue.

Ben embraced his Mandarin fluency, taking a course and appearing on Chinese TV.

Even beginners may be absorbing a new language without realizing it, which could surface after brain injury.

The video poses the question of whether having a weird accent could get someone fired from their job.

The video promises to address the job termination question in an upcoming video.

The video teases an upcoming accent challenge for viewers.

Transcripts

what if I told you you could fall asleep

with zero language skills and wake up

fluent

Sante a dream come true well if you were

going for Swedish it might be more of a

nightmare perhaps you'd settle for a

sexy new accent well I found seven

people who woke up sounding foreign and

all I can say is be very careful what

you wish

for Karen is an American mom from Oregon

she went to the dentist and woke up a

little off kilter I suck your blood so I

did I V suck your blood now I don't know

what her dentist did open wide or what

he gave her but this is her real new

accent I went to sleep and when I woke

up I had this accent she's fully

American and has never fancied being

Romanian or whatever this is and she's

not the only one I can't speak foreign I

don't know any other language I just

sound it Emily's from the UK and she was

in hospital for 3 weeks when completely

mute and three whole months later I

started to talk and and now I have this

accent and it changes it's French it is

Italian and Russian sometimes it's a bit

polish did she say she has four accents

what is going on well you ain't seen

nothing

yet a few years ago a young Australian

called Ben was in a horrible car wreck

and he was in a coma for over a week

when he woke up he could only speak

Mandarin Chinese after waking up from

the coma I saw a Chinese looking nurse

because the first person I spoke to was

in Mandarin my intern monong became

Chinese he said to the nurse excuse me

nurse it really hurts here what happened

to me probably first 3 days three or so

days i' only speak Mandarin yep and he

even spoke Mandarin to his poor parents

gave them quite a fright too so he wrote

them a note in Chinese and got the nurse

to translate it after a few days he

started mixing English into his Mandarin

and then nobody could understand him but

eventually he could separate English

from Mandarin and this is Ben

now that is real no faking it but how is

this even possible it's all going to

make sense when we get to the science so

stay

tuned meanwhile did you hear about the

kid from Georgia well a 16-year-old

American boy got kicked in the head

while playing goalie for his football

team and after three days in a coma he

woke up speaking

Spanish before the accident all he knew

in Spanish was a few words but suddenly

he couldn't remember English at all and

Spanish just flowed from his mouth like

second nature the te says he believes he

subconsciously remember MERS Spanish

from listening to his friends and his

brother speak the language in the past

interesting little clue there and this

part is bizarre every time he tried to

speak English he'd have a seizure so why

are their brains rejecting

English Rory is also a footballer from

England this time and he got a severe

head injury from a crash and stayed in a

coma that actually looked like it was

going to be permanent it was very bad

but there's one scary detail in his

story Rory was staring death in the face

but he didn't know that his parents now

had to decide his fate they were offered

a new experimental drug that could save

his life but it hadn't yet worked on any

other patient experimental drugs well 2

weeks later English Rory woke up

speaking French to the nurse in a

Normandy accent Rory had an out of body

experience with his

ancestors bonjour apparently he spoke so

smoothly that the nurse who was French

asked his father which part of France he

was from he also thought that he was

Matthew mccon but that part's not my

problem all right all right all right so

how is any of this actually possible all

will be revealed but first what about

those people who remembered English but

forgot their own accent it's very

mysterious I hope you're Gathering Clues

and if you're enjoying this mystery

please like And subscribe and turn on

notifications because I have a lot more

language content up my

sleeve it wasn't until was in ambulance

on the way to the hospital actually say

are you aware of the way you speaking

and I say oh I sound like I have a and

she said no you sound like you can work

at a Chinese restant Sarah is a Brit

from Devon and she used to speak like

one but in 2009 she woke up with a

Chinese accent a British lady who her

whole life was like hello it's a bit of

a Whiffle isn't it like

that now says I have not had my

conversation voice over three years now

he can joke all he likes there's science

behind this phenomenon so what do you

think guys could there be a link between

waking up with a new accent and waking

up with a new language come on I think

we need more clues do we I pleas have l

in Te wake up where do you think she is

from I'd say probably Croatia or okay

it's interesting that you you perceive

it that the way cuz I'm actually

Australian oh okay I'm born uh Sydney

and Australia All My Life The Brain

still is working on in here still going

it's just that doesn't connected with

this bit this bit seems to have mind

over his own

sometimes Cindy's accent is from a

really bad seizure and the wrong

medication and Sarah well she had a

severe migraine before things went wonky

and the deeper you search the more

stories you find I started sounding

totally different when I heard my spell

speech the speech process in my head was

total different I say the word in the

way that I can speak it from my brain

through the speeech process movement of

jaw intonation tongue movement Etc if

that sound French to you then that sound

French to you what are your ears telling

you guys does she sound French to you

how about the others would you consider

those accents to be spoton now I know

you're wondering if they are faking it

and I don't blame you but listen to this

I could say what I wanted at a speed

that uh didn't uh sound like I wasn't

make sense it's very distressing to hear

that because from what we've been told

is that is very unlikely I ever returned

to that and that's it to me every time

nobody really understands what it's like

to to go from being accepted in your

local area you know and all of a sudden

everybody wants to treat you like your

death or your brain damaged or your

foreign I've had experience

discrimination I've experienced people

to be very rude I remember this happened

to the singer George Michael once and he

was pretty emotional about it he had a

near-death experience with pneumonia and

woke up with a West country accent it's

a True Story by the way if you wonder

why I share all these stories about

languages well it's because stories are

the secret to remembering things forever

like a new language for example stories

are a very powerful language learning

tool and that's why myself and the whole

Community here at story learning are

pretty obsessed with this method of

learning languages through story and if

you want to know more about how it works

just look for the link to my free story

learning kit in the description below go

and check it

out she was born and raised in Texas she

went to go get her teeth fixed and when

she woke up out of the gas she had a

British accent but every time it happens

it's always somebody waking up out of a

coma or out of the gas they've got like

an Irish or a British or a Scottish

accent but you never hear some story

about some dude over in England like

falling and hitting his head and then he

wakes up and he's like man me and my

mate

[Music]

Nigel we's walking our pet poodle Beef

Wellington dang it that dog didn't

wander right in front of me I fell and

Tripp and hit my

head well he makes a fair point but I

can think of a lot of other accents that

nobody gets by accident Jokes Aside

you're obviously halfway to figuring

this out by now because there's one

thing they all have in common some kind

of horrible injury to their brains and

yeah the other thing thing that's really

freaking you out wrong medication pretty

scary I know so what is going on did

their brains really reject English and

which of the two would be more

frightening to you forgetting your

native language or forgetting your

native accent maybe you'd take it either

way just to sound foreign come on let us

know in the comments which would you

prefer and finally we are at the part

you've all been waiting for not lies not

black magic but

science unintentionally switching

languages in this way is known as

bilingual

Aphasia and those with the condition can

often find themselves suddenly better at

their second language second language

turns out Ben had learned a little

Mandarin in high school but he only had

a basic understanding somehow the

accident made him take a giant jump

influency isn't that pretty crazy you

see the part of his brain that knew

English was damaged in the crash so when

he woke up with no memory of English his

brain was searching for language and the

part that had learned basic Mandarin

just kind of kicked in and took over

pretty amazing aming her my take on this

is Ben's brain knew a lot more Mandarin

than he thought he did it was kind of

hiding in there the whole time which

tends to happen with language

acquisition he just needed a good old

sleep to sort everything out once

English was taken away from him he could

only use Mandarin access to that second

language is improved because that's all

that you've got available to you the two

footballers have a similar story they

both absorbed a second language without

even realizing it but there's something

else going on here all of these people

were super confident when they spoke why

well you don't exactly have any

inhibitions when you think you're

speaking your native tongue right it's

tragically brilliant and you're not

going to believe this but Ben never lost

his Chinese fluency he took the whole

experience as a sign did a mandarin

course at University to really lock it

in and before he knew it he was on

Chinese TV

hello it really just goes to show that

even if you're a beginner the language

you're learning is it's going in whether

you think it is or not maybe try reading

some stories just before bedtime see if

that helps things sink in now what about

waking up with a foreign accent this

one's even stranger remember the lady

with four accents Emily that was a clue

end the plot twist they haven't really

picked up an accent at all we just think

that they have it's called foreign

accent syndrome and it's a rare speech

disorder that can happen if you hurt the

part of your brain that controls the

melody and rhythm part of your language

so it makes you mispronounce sounds but

to everyone else it sounds like you

picked up an accent and then we just go

and stick a label on that accent because

well we we just can't help ourselves

which leads me to one very important

question if you have a weird accent

could that accent get you fired from

your work I'm about to lose my dang job

if you want the answer to this we'll be

addressing this in an upcoming video

meanwhile I have a super fun accent

challenge for you in this video right

over here