Speaking SLANG is as good for your brain as being bilingual and spending just a week using a new language boosts attention span

The benefits of speaking more than one language have long been debated - with some experts claiming it gives the brain a boost, while others describing it as a distraction. But a new study has now suggested that even speaking two dialects of the same language can be as good for your brain as speaking two separate languages. The researchers found that bi-dialectalism - the ability to speak slang and proper English - can boost memory. Using slang (cockney rhyming slang on a cash machine pictured) can boost the brain in the same way as learning a new language. They found that while some people speak African American English at home, they also use Mainstream American English at school, which can benefit their brain.