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I have heard that hyperpolyglots, such as translators at EU headquarters who work with many languages, are more susceptible to mental illness.
by TMWNN 1y ago
I have heard that hyperpolyglots, such as translators at EU headquarters who work with many languages, are more susceptible to mental illness.
- mythrwy 1y agoCould be from listening to politician talk all day every day though. Just look at how much mental illness politics seems to produce in people who interact with it less frequently.
- tgv 1y agoI'm not sure those people are hyperpolyglot (whatever that exactly means). They usually have extreme skills in two languages, one being their native language. However, a task like simultaneous translation is tough. It requires a different way of focusing, and has other demands on working memory. There is some evidence that it leads to "functional" changes in the brain. That could be a factor. OTOH, since the effect is bound to a small group living in a few places, it could just as well be a life-style effect.
- johnisgood 1y agoSometimes there is a thin line between a genius and someone with a mental illness. That is not to say those translators are geniuses, I am speaking more broadly.