A study from the University of Bath, which won this year's Ig Nobel Prize, suggests that a small amount of alcohol can enhance fluency in a foreign language. Researchers found that German students who consumed a vodka and lemon drink spoke more fluently than those who drank water.
Dr Inge Kersbergen, co-author of the study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, asked 50 German students to converse in Dutch after consuming either water or a small alcoholic drink. Native Dutch speakers, unaware of who had drunk alcohol, rated the vodka drinkers as significantly more fluent.
The improved fluency is attributed to reduced anxiety, allowing for freer speech. However, Dr Kersbergen cautioned against using alcohol to boost language skills, noting that the effect is modest and could impair abilities. 'I would not recommend that anyone use alcohol to improve their fluency in a second language,' she told The Times.
The Ig Nobel prizes, awarded annually by the science humour magazine Annals of Improbable Research, honour quirky scientific achievements. This year's ceremony was held at Boston University on Thursday, with winners across ten categories, including research on perfect pasta sauce and fingernail growth.
