Bilingual Pool Players Focus Better?

Patrick Johnson

Patrick Johnson

Fargo 1000 on VP4
Silver Member
I heard a radio segment this morning about the mental advantages of being bilingual - it seems that knowing more than one language trains your brain to get better at focusing on one thing (because you're always thinking in more than one language but communicating with only one of them).

So, since focus is such an important part of playing good pool, it probably follows that bilingual players have an edge. Can this be why our friendly foreign "invaders" do so well in the US pool scene? Do trilingual players have an even greater advantage?

Adios, au revoir, auf Wiedersehen,

pj
chgo
 
i speak 3 languages (english, spanish, & german) and my game sucks from time to time.....i think this is more help to children as it has been proven that a bilingual child "learns" better in school later on, like elementary and after.......i am so old i am like an old dog....can't learn many new tricks ;)
 
Patrick Johnson said:
I heard a radio segment this morning about the mental advantages of being bilingual - it seems that knowing more than one language trains your brain to get better at focusing on one thing (because you're always thinking in more than one language but communicating with only one of them).

So, since focus is such an important part of playing good pool, it probably follows that bilingual players have an edge. Can this be why our friendly foreign "invaders" do so well in the US pool scene? Do trilingual players have an even greater advantage?

Adios, au revoir, auf Wiedersehen,

pj
chgo
Click to expand...

That is an interesting comment. I always figured, the pinoy's being an example, that their petite statures came into play since most games of pool requires a great deal of finesse. JMO
 
Patrick Johnson said:
I heard a radio segment this morning about the mental advantages of being bilingual - it seems that knowing more than one language trains your brain to get better at focusing on one thing (because you're always thinking in more than one language but communicating with only one of them).

So, since focus is such an important part of playing good pool, it probably follows that bilingual players have an edge. Can this be why our friendly foreign "invaders" do so well in the US pool scene? Do trilingual players have an even greater advantage?

Adios, au revoir, auf Wiedersehen,

pj
chgo
Click to expand...

Lol, interesting. I couldn't help but think of pool players and how they have their own language to begin with. My wife was with me in St. Louis once while I was trying to set up a cash game with this other guy. With all the pool terms flying around and posturing going on she had no clue what was happening. When it was all said and done she said "What language was that anyhow? I heard every word you said and I am still lost!"
 
Patrick Johnson said:
Better focus in general is supported by test results. That's what the radio segment was about.

The part that may be goofy is my speculation about the possible advantage for pool players.

pj
chgo
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And, my feedback was based on experience as a poolplayer that speaks more than one language.

On a related note, focus, especially in shotmaking involves blocking out the mental dialogue in your head. At least for me.


Eric
 
For better focus in pool, I would favor an aiming system or a good pre-shot routine over being bi-lingual.

Although, I am envious of those especially from other countries who can speak English as well as their native language, often better than some of my own countrymen. The Norwegians for example come to mind except for Da Fish from Stavanger who always seems to move the numbers around much to his advantage, although this has to be coincidence.

If you believe being bilingual will help you focus better while playing pool, just click here for the link.
 
4 languages including bad English. Knowledge of a second language has many benefits in life. I can't imagine why it would help me be more successful at banks, or kicks or the masse' (for example).

Is the idea that -The action of Billiards or Pool is a language. Even if it's not spoken, (ignoring the words like, draw, headstring, and squirt). Or the learning the lingo is a language.

Learning a new language entails reading and writing exercises. At the end of the day everything we need to learn is an exercise.
 
Eric:
What a goofy theory.
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Me:
Better focus in general is supported by test results.
Click to expand...
Eric:
And, my feedback was based on experience as a poolplayer that speaks more than one language.
Click to expand...
How would you know if your focus was or wasn't affected by your language skills?
Eric:
...focus, especially in shotmaking involves blocking out the mental dialogue in your head. At least for me.
Click to expand...
This is very similar to the reasoning behind the "bilingual = better focus" theory. Your brain "tracks" two languages all the time but you only physically speak one at a time, so you get good at "blocking out the mental dialogue" your brain is having in the language you're not speaking at the time.

pj
chgo
 
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JuicyGirl said:
Knowledge of a second language has many benefits in life. I can't imagine why it would help me be more successful at banks, or kicks or the masse' (for example).
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It's not the knowledge that helps, but the practice it gives your brain in blocking distracting input.

pj
chgo
 
JoeyA said:
For better focus in pool, I would favor an aiming system or a good pre-shot routine over being bi-lingual.
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It's not a choice to make - nobody's going to learn another language to help their pool game. It's just speculation about an advantage that multilingual players may have.

pj
chgo
 
Patrick Johnson said:
How would you know if your focus was or wasn't affected by your language skills?

This is very similar to the reasoning behind the "bilingual = better focus" theory. Your brain "tracks" two languages all the time but you only physically speak one at a time, so you get good at "blocking out the mental dialogue" your brain is having in the language you're not speaking at the time.

pj
chgo
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I think that is a stretch.

An analogy for singularly lingual people might be switching from speaking a language, to singing in that same language. While the vocal activity is similar, the actual level of focus in no different than speaking another language. In other words, if you can switch from speaking to singing, then you have the same "skills" as someone that is bilingual, in a nutshell.

As related to Pool, there are a bunch of very high level poolplayers, foreign and domestic, that only speak one language.


Eric
 
Efren and most Pinoys didn't speak any English when he/they came to the US...they shot great pool even then.
 
Eric. said:
What a goofy theory.


Eric >more than one lingual
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This idea has been around a while, but has been the subject lately on The Discovery Channel and a recent article in the Sunday NYTimes:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/opinion/sunday/the-benefits-of-bilingualism.html

Basically the science says that being bilingual makes you smarter (YMMV). The idea is that because of the brain rewiring the bilinguals need and use it makes them better at solving certain mental puzzles; planning; solving problems; and performing other mentally demanding tasks, including ignoring distractions to stay focused.

All of the above might come in handy for a pool player.

Lou Figueroa
 
lfigueroa said:
This idea has been around a while, but has been the subject lately on The Discovery Channel and a recent article in the Sunday NYTimes:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/opinion/sunday/the-benefits-of-bilingualism.html

Basically the science says that being bilingual makes you smarter (YMMV). The idea is that because of the brain rewiring the bilinguals need and use it makes them better at solving certain mental puzzles; planning; solving problems; and performing other mentally demanding tasks, including ignoring distractions to stay focused.

All of the above might come in handy for a pool player.

Lou Figueroa
Click to expand...

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showpost.php?p=3628161&postcount=17


Eric
 
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