In this paper a definition of the term bilingualism will be attempted, whereas different points of views, e.g. the sociolinguistic and the psycholinguistic point of view, will be implemented. What is more, a closer look at the implementation of languages in the human brain will be analyzed, in order to understand why bilingualism as well as early bilingual teaching have a deep impact on children’s and student’s language development.
The question “what is bilingualism?” is not easy to answer. Even if we study the great canon of literature on bilingualism, it leads to the conclusion that there aren’t any common definitions to be found. Linguists have only agreed on the point that bilingualism refers to an individual that has language skills in two languages. However, linguists set the degree of bilingualism differently: on the one hand, rudimentary knowledge about a language seems enough, whereas on the other hand, in order to be regarded as a bilingual, a speaker is supposed to have sophisticated knowledge about both languages, similar to the language level of a monolingual (Baker, 2006, p. 15).
This statement forces a variety of further questions to arouse such as “what does it mean to be able to speak two languages? In how far do the languages have to be developed and sophisticated in order to call an individual a bilingual speaker? What kind of criteria have to be fulfilled?
As mentioned before, linguists are not in an agreement about the definition of the term bilingualism. The reason might be the great variety within the scope of science that deals with this very phenomenon of bilingualism. Besides the field of linguistics psychology, sociology and pedagogic are fields that show great interest in bilingualism as well. Psychology deals with the phenomenon of bilingualism concerning mental processes, sociology deals with cultural aspects in close contact with the society, and pedagogic is concerned with bilingualism occurring in school life, respectively in school and lesson planning.
Further, bilingualism or multilingualism is analyzed in all disciplines in two different levels; first, the individual level and the social level. Humans live in a society in which they communicate with each other, express their feelings, thoughts and attitudes. Humans are beings that think about their impressions of the world and clothe their thoughts in words.
Table of Contents
1. Bilingualism
1.1 Introduction:
2. The Linguistic Approaches
2.1 The Psycholinguistic Approach
2.2 The Sociolinguistic Approach
3. Early and late bilingualism
4. Compact and coordinated bilingualism
5. Semilingualism
6. The bilingual Brain
6.1 Representation of two languages in the human brain
7. Conclusion
Objectives and Core Themes
The primary objective of this work is to explore the multifaceted definitions of bilingualism by synthesizing various scientific perspectives, including linguistics, psychology, and sociology. Furthermore, the paper aims to analyze the neurological representation of two or more languages within the human brain to understand how language systems are structured and processed in early versus late bilingual individuals.
- The lack of a singular, universally accepted definition of bilingualism across disciplines.
- Distinctions between early childhood bilingualism and sequential or late language acquisition.
- Neurolinguistic mechanisms, specifically cerebral lateralization and the role of the Broca and Wernicke areas.
- The impact of situational and social factors, such as code-switching and language status, on language proficiency.
- Critical examination of the "sum of two monolinguals" fallacy in measuring bilingual competence.
Excerpt from the Book
6.1 Representation of two languages in the human brain
The neural-psychological approach presumes that a bilinguals speech processing abilities depend on their individually developed neural strategies, which again depend on their experiences and distinct language acquisition of both languages (Hamers/Blanc, 1989, p. 39).
Researches on aphasia have concluded that there is a distinct “celebral organization for each of a bilingual’s languages” and “that the anatomical bases for the two languages only partially overlap” (Vaid/Lambert, 1979, n.p. cited in Hamers/Blanc, 1989, p.39). According to Vaid and Lambert (1979) in the human brain a separated celebral organization for both languages of a bilingual exists in the human brain (Hamers/Blanc, 1989, p.40). After mastering the mother tongue many children acquire further languages, whether it is a simultaneous or a successive language acquisition. In all cases, language acquisition demands on the cognitive system of bilinguals’ speakers should not be underestimated. Consequently, neurophysiologists show great interest in this challenge. The languages acquired subordinate to the mother tongue involve both languages phonological, lexical and syntactical aspects, which are linked.
Summary of Chapters
1. Bilingualism: Introduces the complexity of defining bilingualism, highlighting that there is no consensus among linguists regarding the required level of proficiency.
2. The Linguistic Approaches: Examines both the psycholinguistic view, which focuses on language control and mental processes, and the sociolinguistic view, which considers situational language use and societal influence.
3. Early and late bilingualism: Distinguishes between simultaneous and sequential language acquisition based on the age of the learner and the environment of acquisition.
4. Compact and coordinated bilingualism: Explores Weinreich's theory on how words are stored in the memory, comparing merged concepts in compound bilingualism to separated concepts in coordinated bilingualism.
5. Semilingualism: Discusses the phenomenon where a speaker lacks full proficiency in either language, often linked to societal or minority group conflict.
6. The bilingual Brain: Investigates the physical and neurological structures that support multiple languages, including the role of the Broca-Area and Wernicke-Area in language processing.
7. Conclusion: Summarizes that comparing bilinguals to the sum of two monolinguals is unreasonable, emphasizing that early bilinguals demonstrate a unique neural organization compared to monolinguals.
Keywords
Bilingualism, Multilingualism, Psycholinguistics, Sociolinguistics, Code-switching, Semilingualism, Language Acquisition, Neurolinguistics, Cerebral Lateralization, Broca-Area, Wernicke-Area, Language Proficiency, Monolingualism, Brain Plasticity, Cognitive Systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this research paper?
The paper fundamentally examines the definition of bilingualism and the cognitive/neurological organization of language in bilingual speakers.
What are the primary fields contributing to this study?
The study integrates insights from linguistics, psychology, sociology, and pedagogy to provide a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon.
What is the main research question regarding the bilingual speaker?
The central inquiry is whether a bilingual individual should be viewed as two monolinguals combined or as a unique cognitive unit with a distinct language system.
How is the bilingual brain analyzed in this work?
The study uses neurological approaches, specifically examining cerebral lateralization, aphasia cases, and functional magnetic resonance imaging to locate language production and comprehension.
What does the main body of the paper cover?
It covers theoretical linguistic approaches, the distinction between early and late acquisition, mental concepts of language storage, the concept of semilingualism, and brain-specific language representations.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include bilingualism, language acquisition, cerebral lateralization, code-switching, and neurolinguistics.
What is the difference between early and late bilinguals regarding their brain activation?
Early bilinguals often show overlapping language representation in the Broca-Area, whereas late bilinguals tend to exhibit partial overlap, indicating different structural developments.
How does code-switching serve as a marker for bilingualism?
Code-switching is identified as a linguistic strategy used by bilinguals to move between language systems, distinguishing them from monolingual speakers.
Why does the author argue against comparing bilinguals to monolinguals?
The author concludes that because bilinguals have differently mastered and overlapping language systems, the "monolingual standard" is an inappropriate unit of measurement for their proficiency.
- Quote paper
- Sara Ekici (Author), 2009, What is Bilingualism? Effects of early and late bilingualism on the human brain, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/137841
