Study of correlation of the number of languages spoken with intelligence among young Indian adults

Abstract

Background: Intelligence is the ability to learn and adapt rapidly and is highly variable among individuals. The existence of language can be attributed to the brain and its capability to learn. Language, therefore, must be learnable by children. Very few studies correlate the language skills and the intelligence level of the person. Aim of the Study: The aim of this study was to correlated languages known and intelligence. We hypothesized that the mental circuitry responsible for linguistic skills must be more refined among those who know more languages. Materials and Methods: A correlational questionnaire-based study was conducted on 205 subjects of the age group of 19–22 years, who were required to fill in a case study form and take an IQ test (Cattell's Culture Fair Intelligence Test). The number of languages known among the 205 participants ranged from 1 to 6. Intergroup comparison was made using Pearson Correlation, Kruskal–Walli's test, and Mann–Whitney U-test. Results: When the Pearson Correlation was used, we did not find a statistically significant difference among the groups. No correlation between the number of languages known and the IQ of a person was evident (The Pearson Correlation Coefficient-0.029 and P = 0.677). The IQ in those who knew two or more languages were higher, while it was highest in those who knew four languages (P < 0.001). Conclusion: From the results, we could conclude that there is no direct correlation between the languages known by a person and the IQ. However, their comprehension capability may be better.