{
  "id": 12113557,
  "title": "Arabic, English, Chinese: How reading in different languages shapes the brain",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/arabic-english-chinese-how-reading-in-different-languages-shapes-the",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-05T08:31:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/lifestyle/arabic-english-chinese-how-reading-in-different-languages-shapes-the-brain-1.500698516"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Dubai: Many UAE children attend school in English, then return home to an Arabic-speaking household, and some learn a third language like Chinese. This leads parents to wonder whether reading multiple languages enhances or overloads a child's brain. Two UAE researchers, Dr Fatma Said of Zayed University and Dr Yuan Meng of UAE University, discussed this with Gulf News during a Reading for Pleasure Caravan event. Each writing system presents unique challenges. Chinese characters lack spaces, requiring readers to determine which characters connect, and individual components called radicals provide meaning clues. Arabic employs a root-and-pattern structure, where letter order is crucial for word recognition, and Modern Standard Arabic (Fusha) has distinct vocabulary and grammar from spoken dialects. English, conversely, demonstrates some flexibility with letter order swaps, though the importance of order varies by task and reader. Regardless of the script, all three languages ultimately compel the brain to comprehend meaning. The brain must connect visual symbols with language to grasp the message. For Arabic-speaking children, an additional challenge arises due to diglossia – the distinction between spoken local dialects and formal Modern Standard Arabic. Dr Said, an associate professor in applied linguistics, views this as an opportunity, as it necessitates learning varied vocabulary, sentence structures, and expressive means. Surprisingly, children proficient in Arabic phonetics and script can perform equally well as English-only peers on reading tasks, sometimes even spelling English better due to Arabic's regular spelling. The notion that diglossia hinders reading is debated; instead, factors like teaching quality, early exposure to Fusha, and home literacy practices are more significant predictors of Arabic literacy. Early exposure to varied Arabic forms, such as through cartoons and stories, enhances vocabulary acquisition and literacy development. While English often dominates home environments, Dr Said emphasizes the critical role of family in preserving Arabic. She advocates for a family language policy, ensuring consistent Arabic use in settings like the dinner table, to prevent Arabic from becoming a distant language.",
  "summary": "Dubai: In the UAE, many children spend their school day reading in English, then go home to a household that speaks Arabic. Some are also learning a third script, such as Chinese. It raises a question many parents ask: does reading in more than one language stretch a child's brain, or overload it? Two UAE-based researchers, Dr Fatma Said of Zayed University and Dr Yuan Meng of UAE University,…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}