According to this article, bilinguals have multiple personalities.

Does this mean that all of us bilinguals have mental disorders?! Nope. The article states that polyglots respond differently when posed the same questions depending on which language they are speaking in. Fascinating.

I’ve been deeply pondering this concept since stumbling upon this article, and in addition to being fascinating, I can also concur that it’s true. At least for me. Rest assured that I did not come down with mental disorder when I became fluent in French, but I did evolve as a person and a personality.

There are ways of thinking and being that one adopts with a new homeland, and it’s subtle and flagrant at the same time. For example, I would say that the French part of me is much more laid back. Like the take-a-three-hour-lunch, and C’est pas grave! kinda laid back. Meanwhile, my American side, if I’m being honest, is more uptight, driven, and … intense, really.

I think my American side is to be thanked (partially) for fostering my ambition and fire, and my French side is to be appreciated for making me so much more bearable as person. (I’m much more easy going now, je vous assure.) That being said, I almost never cuss in English, but I know all the creative and colorful expletives in French — very useful when dealing with the senseless bumbledom of the French bureaucracy.

Today’s “What I Eat in a Day” video is evidence of my French side — lunch at 4:30? Pourquoi pas? —with a dash of ‘Americana’ in there for good measure (i.e. the working out in bright pink at the park part.)

(Here’s the recipe for that zingy beet juice, btw.)

If you’re multi-lingual, too, let me know in the comments below if you become a different person between the languages you speak!

Have a lovely weekend and a deliciously laid-back Sunday,

P.S. Chloe and I are presenting at Veggie World Oct. 14th at 11:45 am! We’ll be struttin’ our stuff and making rainbow sushi. Will we see you there?