Knowledge of foreign languages lasts a lifetime, new research shows

While French is one of the most popular GCSEs in the UK, many Brits are nervous when it comes to using their language skills later in life. But a new suggests there's nothing to fear - even if it has been decades since you last studied a foreign language. Researchers from the University of York have shown that people tested on foreign languages 50 years after they last sat any exam perform just as well as recent students. 'We often say if you don't use a language, you will lose it, but this doesn't seem to be the case,' said Professor Monika Schmid, Head of the University of York's Department of Language and Linguistics. During recent tests, experts from Abertay University in Dundee, found that speaking more than one language didn't have any cognitive benefit.