About this Research Topic

Background

Cross-language influence (CLI), also termed transfer, has been demonstrated to affect language learning and processing in multilinguals. Rather than merely documenting the presence of such CLI, the current research topic focuses on exploring factors that might modulate the degree and nature of CLI, namely for which multilinguals CLI might be more or less evident.

Specifically, we target two types of possible modulators.
• First, learner characteristics such as proficiency, age, and the interactional context of language use can influence the extent of CLI.
• Second, individual differences in domain general cognitive abilities (e.g. working memory, cognitive control) and/or in linguistic abilities (e.g. meta-linguistic awareness, number of previously known languages) may modulate the degree of CLI.

We welcome papers examining the impact of these modulators of CLI, across a wide range of language domains (phonology, lexicon, grammar) and tasks (oral, written, signed). Given the central importance of CLI in determining multilingual performance, a deeper understanding of its modulators will undoubtedly lead to fascinating theoretical and practical advances.

Keywords: Bilingualism, multilingualism, SLA, transfer, CLI

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