Cognitive adaptations induced by a multi-language input in early development

Research output: Contribution to journalReview Articlepeer-review

Abstract (may include machine translation)

Children around the world successfully adapt to the specific requirements of their physical and social environment, and they readily acquire any language they are exposed to. Still, learning simultaneously two languages has been a continuous concern of parents, educators and scientists. While the focus has shifted from the possible costs to the possible advantages of bilingualism, the worries still linger that early bilingualism may cause delays and confusion. Here we adopt a less dichotomist view, by asking what specific adaptations might result from simultaneously learning two languages. We will discuss findings that point to a surprising plasticity of the cognitive system allowing young infants to cope with the bilingual input and reaching linguistic milestones at the same time as monolinguals.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)80-86
Number of pages7
JournalCurrent Opinion in Neurobiology
Volume35
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Dec 2015

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Cognitive adaptations induced by a multi-language input in early development'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this