How the Brain Acquires, Processes, and Controls a Second Language

2012 ◽  
pp. 516-538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jubin Abutalebi ◽  
Pasquale Anthony Della Rosa
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
The Brain

scholarly journals What is special about L3 processing?

2013 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 130-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
KEES DE BOT ◽  
CAROL JAENSCH
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Fundamental Question ◽  
Third Language ◽  
The Core ◽  
Dynamic Perspective ◽  
Core Issue ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Over Time

While research on third language (L3) and multilingualism has recently shown remarkable growth, the fundamental question of what makes trilingualism special compared to bilingualism, and indeed monolingualism, continues to be evaded. In this contribution we consider whether there is such a thing as a true monolingual, and if there is a difference between dialects, styles, registers and languages. While linguistic and psycholinguistic studies suggest differences in the processing of a third, compared to the first or second language, neurolinguistic research has shown that generally the same areas of the brain are activated during language use in proficient multilinguals. It is concluded that while from traditional linguistic and psycholinguistic perspectives there are grounds to differentiate monolingual, bilingual and multilingual processing, a more dynamic perspective on language processing in which development over time is the core issue, leads to a questioning of the notion of languages as separate entities in the brain.

scholarly journals First- and Second-language Phonological Representations in the Mental Lexicon

2006 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 1277-1291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Núria Sebastian-Gallés ◽  
Antoni Rodríguez-Fornells ◽  
Ruth de Diego-Balaguer ◽  
Begoña Díaz
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
First Language ◽  
Great Difficulty ◽  
Error Rates ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Phonological Representations ◽  
Error Related Negativity ◽  
New Information ◽  
The Brain

Performance-based studies on the psychological nature of linguistic competence can conceal significant differences in the brain processes that underlie native versus nonnative knowledge of language. Here we report results from the brain activity of very proficient early bilinguals making a lexical decision task that illustrates this point. Two groups of Spanish-Catalan early bilinguals (Spanish-dominant and Catalan-dominant) were asked to decide whether a given form was a Catalan word or not. The nonwords were based on real words, with one vowel changed. In the experimental stimuli, the vowel change involved a Catalan-specific contrast that previous research had shown to be difficult for Spanish natives to perceive. In the control stimuli, the vowel switch involved contrasts common to Spanish and Catalan. The results indicated that the groups of bilinguals did not differ in their behavioral and event-related brain potential measurements for the control stimuli; both groups made very few errors and showed a larger N400 component for control nonwords than for control words. However, significant differences were observed for the experimental stimuli across groups: Specifically, Spanish-dominant bilinguals showed great difficulty in rejecting experimental nonwords. Indeed, these participants not only showed very high error rates for these stimuli, but also did not show an error-related negativity effect in their erroneous nonword decisions. However, both groups of bilinguals showed a larger correct-related negativity when making correct decisions about the experimental nonwords. The results suggest that although some aspects of a second language system may show a remarkable lack of plasticity (like the acquisition of some foreign contrasts), first-language representations seem to be more dynamic in their capacity of adapting and incorporating new information.

First and Second Language Patterns of Brain Activation in Korean Layrngeal Contrasts

2008 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haeil Park ◽  
Gregory Iverson
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Occipital Lobe ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Second Language Speakers ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
Specific Activities ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Brain

Abstract. This study aims to localize the brain regions involved in the apprehension of Korean laryngeal contrasts and to investigate whether the Internal Model advanced by Callan et al. (2004) extends to first versus second language perception of these unique three-way laryngeal distinctions. The results show that there is a significant difference in activation between native and second-language speakers, consistent with the findings of Callan et al. Specific activities unique to younger native speakers of Korean relative to native speakers of English were seen in the cuneus (occipital lobe) and the right middle frontal gyrus (Brodmann Area [BA] 10), areas of the brain associated with pitch perception. The current findings uphold Silva's (2006) conclusion that the laryngeal contrasts of Korean are increasingly distinguished less by VOT differences than by their effect on pitch in the following vowel. A subsequent experiment was conducted to establish whether more traditional, older native speakers of Korean who still make clear VOT distinctions also activate both the cuneus and BA 10 in the same task. Preliminary results indicate that they do not, whereas speakers with overlapping VOT distinctions do show intersecting activations in these areas, thus corroborating Silva's claim of emergent pitch sensitivity in the Korean laryngeal system.

Multilanguage acquisition and cognitive development

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto Filippi ◽  
Eva Periche-Tomas ◽  
Andriani Papageorgiou ◽  
Orianna Bairaktari ◽  
Peter Bright
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Selective Attention ◽  
Spatial Memory ◽  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Attention Control ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Confounding Variables ◽  
Effects Of Aging ◽  
The Brain

A large body of research has shown evidence of positive effects associated with multilanguage acquisition on general cognitive skills such as selective attention, control of interference, and visuo-spatial memory. Such findings have also suggested that lifelong use of two or more languages may protect the brain from the effects of aging. However, recent studies have not been able to replicate positive effects, and this has underpinned the emergence of a binary debate on whether or not there is a genuine cognitive advantage driven by the acquisition of a second language. This debate has raised concerns regarding definitions, administered tasks, and efficacy of controlling alternate confounding variables. Such a fiercely debated topic is providing an opportunity for the development of new approaches that could lead to better insight on the cognitive impact of acquiring a second language beyond any claimed advantages or disadvantages.

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