{"id":13661,"date":"2025-09-10T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-10T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/?p=13661"},"modified":"2025-08-27T21:48:23","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T01:48:23","slug":"the-bilingual-advantage-that-has-nothing-to-do-with-grammar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/2025\/09\/10\/the-bilingual-advantage-that-has-nothing-to-do-with-grammar\/","title":{"rendered":"The Bilingual Advantage (That Has Nothing to Do With Grammar)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/PRSSA-Progressions-Blog-Headers-The-Bilingual-Advantage-That-Has-Nothing-to-Do-With-Grammar-Michelle-Penalver-English-Version-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13662\" srcset=\"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/PRSSA-Progressions-Blog-Headers-The-Bilingual-Advantage-That-Has-Nothing-to-Do-With-Grammar-Michelle-Penalver-English-Version-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/PRSSA-Progressions-Blog-Headers-The-Bilingual-Advantage-That-Has-Nothing-to-Do-With-Grammar-Michelle-Penalver-English-Version-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/PRSSA-Progressions-Blog-Headers-The-Bilingual-Advantage-That-Has-Nothing-to-Do-With-Grammar-Michelle-Penalver-English-Version-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/PRSSA-Progressions-Blog-Headers-The-Bilingual-Advantage-That-Has-Nothing-to-Do-With-Grammar-Michelle-Penalver-English-Version-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/PRSSA-Progressions-Blog-Headers-The-Bilingual-Advantage-That-Has-Nothing-to-Do-With-Grammar-Michelle-Penalver-English-Version-2048x1152.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-center\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/FTR_Carousel_09-1100x619-1-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13663 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/FTR_Carousel_09-1100x619-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/FTR_Carousel_09-1100x619-1-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/FTR_Carousel_09-1100x619-1-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/FTR_Carousel_09-1100x619-1.png 1100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p><strong>If you don\u2019t get it, it\u2019s not for you \u2014 and that\u2019s the point.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\udcf8 Spotify<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Living in Miami, I often say:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>If you don\u2019t speak Spanish, you\u2019re missing half the experience.<\/em><br>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the opposite is just as true:<br>If you live in the U.S. and don\u2019t speak English, you\u2019re likely missing even more than half. However, this isn\u2019t a post about learning languages.<br><strong>It\u2019s about learning to connect.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The deeper you go into communication, the more you realize that being bilingual isn\u2019t just about language. It\u2019s about learning context, tone, and most importantly: <strong>culture.<\/strong><br>Where true connection happens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\ud83c\udf0d Bilingualism Is Cultural Intelligence<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To be truly bilingual, you have to understand the worldview behind the words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anyone can memorize vocabulary. But communicating effectively in another language requires knowing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>What matters to people in the culture<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How they interpret tone, gestures, or silence<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What is said \u2014 and what is <em>meant<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Words only work when they\u2019re received with the intention you send them with.<br>Which means you have to know your audience on a <em>cultural<\/em> level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cultural understanding creating and foundation for communication isn\u2019t just true for international communication. It\u2019s also true for how we talk across <em>generations<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\ud83e\uddec Code-Switching Across Generations<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Over the past few years, I\u2019ve spent time intentionally with people 10 years younger and 10+ years older than me including Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X. Through my experiences I\u2019ve found each group speaks a different language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not just in terms of slang, but in:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>How they use and communicate with technology<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What kinds of communication they trust<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How they express emotions, values, or goals<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Their sense of urgency (or calm) around specific issues<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve seen Gen Z texting shorthand that makes my Millennial brain pause. I\u2019ve heard Gen X describe social media in ways that feel like a different century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s fascinating. But more importantly, <strong>&nbsp;it\u2019s powerful to understand.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because when we fail to code-switch or adapt, we lose influence.<br>And in communication, <em>that<\/em> is the main goal: to influence perception around specific topics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\ud83e\udde0 Why Is This Important to Know?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As a strategist, I\u2019ve learned this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your message doesn\u2019t speak your audience\u2019s natural \u201clanguage,\u201d it won\u2019t land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That language isn\u2019t just Spanish or English. It\u2019s the tone, rhythm, and cultural shorthand that makes someone feel seen and understood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From a psychological perspective, most communication is processed through what\u2019s called System 1 thinking \u2014 the automatic, emotional brain. Not the rational, analytical one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your words don\u2019t match someone\u2019s internal system quickly and intuitively,&nbsp; they bounce off instead of sinking in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So what have I seen great communicators do?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\u2705 5 Ways to Apply \u201cBilingual Thinking\u201d in Your Communication Strateg<\/strong>y<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Study your audience\u2019s culture \u2014 not just their demographics.<\/strong><br>Don\u2019t stop at age, job title, or location. Ask: <em>What do they value? What do they consume daily? How do they talk to each other when no one\u2019s watching?<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Adapt your tone and word choice to match their context.<\/strong><br>Your message to Gen Z should not sound like your message to a boardroom full of Gen X executives. Actually, no message should sound like that, not even for Gen X. Not because it&#8217;s \u201cwrong,\u201d but because the outside world now communicates differently. <em>Current time is context.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Spend time in their spaces.<\/strong><br>Join the groups, platforms, and conversations where your audience feels comfortable. Observe. Listen. Don\u2019t assume your way of communicating is the default. <em>I love reading the comments on certain posts, that\u2019s where the real juice is.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Build messages that align with \u201cSystem 1\u201d processing.<\/strong><br>Use language that feels intuitive, emotional, and familiar \u2014 especially in first impressions like subject lines, headlines, or opening sentences. <em>ChatGPT is my best friend for doing this quickly.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reflect on your own code-switching.<\/strong><br>Notice how you change your tone between texting your friends and writing an email to your boss. That\u2019s data. Use that awareness to become a more versatile communicator. <em>My way of expressing myself in Spanish is definitely not the same as it is in English \u2014 for example.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\ud83e\udde9 Bottom Line<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Being bilingual isn\u2019t just about mastering another tongue. It\u2019s about building the skill of cultural empathy and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you\u2019re switching between English and Spanish, Gen Z and Gen X, or formal and informal tones, it all comes down to understanding people and meeting them where they are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you work in communication, marketing, education, or leadership, this is not a \u201cnice-to-know.\u201d<br>It\u2019s essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t underestimate the power of being bilingual,&nbsp; in language, in culture, and in connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>P.S. Duolingo did not pay me for this article, but their community forums are a great place to start understanding the culture behind a language \u2014 if that\u2019s your goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:30% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"341\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Michelle-Penalver-Headshot.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13664 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Michelle-Penalver-Headshot.jpg 341w, https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Michelle-Penalver-Headshot-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 341px) 100vw, 341px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>Michelle Penalver is a bilingual communication strategist and master\u2019s candidate in Global Strategic Communications at FIU. She helps brands connect with diverse audiences through culturally intelligent strategy, cross-generational insight, and storytelling rooted in language, behavior, and human connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/michellesthefanype%C3%B1alver\/\">Michelle\u2019s LinkedIn<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you don\u2019t get it, it\u2019s not for you \u2014 and that\u2019s the point. \ud83d\udcf8 Spotify Living in Miami, I often say: If you don\u2019t speak Spanish, you\u2019re missing half the experience.&nbsp; But the opposite is just as true:If you live in the U.S. and don\u2019t speak English, you\u2019re likely missing even more than half. However, this isn\u2019t a post [&hellip;]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO 5.0.0.1 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you don\u2019t get it, it\u2019s not for you \u2014 and that\u2019s the point. \ud83d\udcf8 Spotify Living in Miami, I often say: If you don\u2019t speak Spanish, you\u2019re missing half the experience. 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