Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-4rdrl Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-05T09:46:12.940Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

7 - Neurolinguistic aspects of second language development and attrition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 July 2010

Get access

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Neurolinguistics itself is a relatively young discipline, with no single overarching theory, and no governing paradigm guiding our study of the ways in which language is organized and processed in the brain. With respect to the neurolinguistics of second languge organization and processing, then, our knowledge must necessarily be limited. However there are pockets of accepted knowledge in neurolinguistics generally, and a sizeable number of accepted techniques that have yielded this knowledge. This paper is structured to discuss, first, that knowledge we appear to have concerning the neurolinguistics of second language acquisition and processing, and second, the phenomena of second language acquisition and processing that should eventually be accountable for by neurolinguistic techniques. It will be seen that, even in the areas where we have some knowledge, there is still a certain degree of controversy.

EXISTING KNOWLEDGE

Lateral dominance for language in the bilingual or second language Learner

While knowledge of lateral dominance in monolinguals appears settled (left hemisphere dominance for language in 98% of right handers; about an equal split between left dominance, right dominance, and bilateral organization among left handers) the knowledge about lateral organization in second language acquirers and bilinguals remains disputed. One set of findings has purported to show no difference in lateral organization, either between monolinguals and bilinguals, for L2, or for each of the two languages of the bilingual. The more compelling evidence, by my analysis, comes from the literature which demonstrates greater right hemisphere involvement, particularly in the earlier stages of second language acquisition, than in monolinguals of an equivalent age.

Type
Chapter
Information
Progression and Regression in Language
Sociocultural, Neuropsychological and Linguistic Perspectives
, pp. 178 - 195
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 1994

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×