![]() In her excellent review, Incera, considers timing of processing in the bilingual mind as a tool for understanding how bilingual and monolingual cognition may diverge. Several of the studies in this collection demonstrate a shift to more nuanced and precise conceptualization of bilingual cognition, and this, of course, is to be welcomed and encouraged. They encourage work toward more widely agreed criteria for terms such as “native language,” “first language,” “second language,” etc., and argue against over-simplification, most obvious in the long-standing dichotomised categorization of monolingual vs. ![]() They argue that most published studies provide insufficient information on language experience/background, social context of language use and decry the paucity of longitudinal designs which, they argue, offer a greater degree of experimental control. in their timely methodological review which, in particular, addresses sample characteristics. The controversy about whether, and the extent to which, bilingualism confers cognitive benefits is also tackled by Takahesu Tabori et al. In a short review, these authors provide a convincing case that the failure to assess and control language mode may, at least in part, explain the contradictory findings reported in the literature. They encourage more robust and systematic consideration of language mode in future studies due to its potential modulatory effect on language activation and also, therefore, on the likely cognitive benefits associated with bilingualism. Yu and Schwieter begin this collection with a conceptual analysis of the significance of language mode in bilingual cognition, that is, the degree of co-activation of the two languages at any one time ( Grosjean, 1998, 2010). We are most grateful to them, to the independent reviewers and to Frontiers for providing the means to make this happen. Altogether, 44 leading scientists in the field of multilingualism have contributed with commentaries, meta-analyses, methodological advice, and empirical research. Understanding the cognitive sequelae of bilingualism presents many hurdles that will require continued intense effort.Ĭollectively, the 17 articles contained herein, reflect the current state of the field, with well-defended positions on opposing sides of current debate. Nevertheless, while few-if any-scientists now hold the position that multilanguage acquisition underpins a cognitive disadvantage, there is ongoing vigorous debate about whether there are distinct cognitive advantages associated with multilingualism that cannot be explained by other candidate explanatory variables. The more recent work of pioneer scientists (e.g., Peal and Lambert, 1962 Bialystok and Ellen, 1991), incorporating more rigorous and systematic paradigms and procedures, has underpinned a now widely-held consensus among researchers in the field, that multilanguage learning is not detrimental for cognitive development. This opinion almost certainly derives in part from early evidence (e.g., Saer, 1923) for a mental delay in bilingual children compared to monolingual peers on a range of tests measuring intelligence quotient (IQ). ![]() In some cases, and this is probably the most disturbing situation, education professionals advise parents from different cultures to raise their children as monolinguals, advocating that this is more likely to lead to good academic achievement (e.g., Festman et al., 2017). Some are concerned that second language learning may delay language acquisition in early stages of life, others think that children should focus more on one language to avoid mental confusion. However, when we formulate the question in a different way, Is being bilingual/multilingual an advantage for cognitive development? Answers are not as straightforward. Multilingual speakers can communicate with different people, they understand different cultures, they have more job opportunities, they can travel the world with more confidence, and so forth. The reasons provided are intuitively sensible and leave little room for disagreement. When we ask our students or members of the general public the question Is being bilingual/multilingual an advantage? The answer, invariably, is yes.
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