Life Style
It’s True: Alcohol Helps You Speak a Foreign Language Better
The confidence gained from drinking alcohol – could help with more than just flirting with someone at the bar.
A new study has found that a low dose of alcohol can improve bilingual speakers’ ability to speak a second language.
While alcohol impedes peoples’ ability to remember and pay attention which may impair the ability to speak a second language, it also increases self-confidence and reduces social anxiety – which might be expected to improve language ability when interacting with others.
The aim of the study, conducted by researchers from the University of Liverpool, Maastricht University and King’s College London, was to test these competing predictions for the first time.
For the study, the researchers tested the effects of a low dose of alcohol on participants’ self-rated and observer-rated ability to hold a conversation in Dutch.
Participants were 50 native German speakers who were studying at a Dutch University (Maastricht) and had recently learned to speak, read and write in Dutch.
Each participant was randomly given either a low dose of alcohol, or a control beverage that contained no alcohol.
The dose of alcohol varied depending on a person’s body weight, but it was equivalent to under a pint (460 ml) of 5% beet, for a 70 kilogram male (154 pounds).
Then, each participant spoke with an experimenter in Dutch for a few minutes.
The conversation was recorded, and each participants’ foreign language skills were then rated by two native Dutch speakers who didn’t know if the participant had consumed alcohol or not (observer-ratings).
Participants also rated their own Dutch language skills during the conversation (self-ratings).
After analyzing the data, the researchers found that participants who had consumed alcohol had significantly better observer-ratings for their Dutch language, specifically better pronunciation, compared to people who didn’t have the alcoholic beverage.
Our study shows that acute alcohol consumption may have beneficial effects on the pronunciation of a foreign language in people who recently learned that language,’ says Dr Inge Kersbergen, a co-author of the study and a researcher at the University of Liverpool’s Institute of Psychology, Health and Society.
Health
These three drinks can be a blessing for your gas and acidity problems
ily foods, spicy dishes, fried fares… Done it all and regretting it? If you’re suffering from acid reflux, you probably know what to eat and what to avoid. But is there anything to relieve you from such digestive issues? Well, there are certain drinks for acidity to improve your digestive health, if you consume them regularly.
Ready to find out? Let’s go!
In an Instagram video, nutritionist and health coach Neha Ranglani has suggested that to calm your acid reflux, you need to help your food get digested well. This can be done by improving your stomach acid production and healing your stomach cells. And these drinks that she has suggested, can help with just that, allowing you to digest your food well without the burn.
Here are 6 drinks for acidity:
1. Cucumber juice
Cucumber is a favourite salad ingredient in summer because of its cooling properties. Consuming cucumber juice can be really beneficial for relievingacid reflux because it is highly nutritious as it provides your body with both fibre and water which is needed for better digestion and has a low calorie volume. What’s more? It can also keep you full and help you avoid reaching out to junk foods!
2. Lemon water
Lemon can do you a world of good! Being rich in vitamin C and B and minerals such as phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium—drinking lemon water regularly will not only help you burn fat but will resolve your digestive issues such as acidity. Moreover, lemon water contains laxative properties that can help improve your bowel movements and clear toxins from the body, keeping you hydrated.
3. Ginger water
Ginger aka adrak, is a very well known ingredient that has been used for ages to help relieve acidity and gas. Also, if you are facing digestive issues due to overeating or undigested food, consuming ginger water can help in emptying your stomach. You can also consume it by adding it to soups, subzi or curry, and even tea. Remember that you’re not allowed to consume ginger in excess amounts.