Abstract
Functional imaging methods show differences in the pattern of cerebral activation associated with the subject's native language (L1) compared with a second language (L2). In a recent PET investigation on bilingualism we showed that auditory processing of stories in L1 (Italian) engages the temporal lobes and temporoparietal cortex more extensively than L2 (English). However, in that study the Italian subjects learned L2 late and attained a fair, but not an excellent command of this language (low proficiency, late acquisition bilinguals). Thus, the different patterns of activation could be ascribed either to age of acquisition or to proficiency level. In the current study we use a similar paradigm to evaluate the effect of early and late acquisition of L2 in highly proficient bilinguals. We studied a group of Italian-English bilinguals who acquired L2 after the age of 10 years (high proficiency, late acquisition bilinguals) and a group of Spanish-Catalan bilinguals who acquired L2 before the age of 4 years (high proficiency, early acquisition bilinguals). The differing cortical responses we had observed when low proficiency volunteers listened to stories in L1 and L2 were not found in either of the high proficiency groups in this study. Several brain areas, similar to those observed for L1 in low proficiency bilinguals, were activated by L2. These findings suggest that, at least for pairs of L1 and L2 languages that are fairly close, attained proficiency is more important than age of acquisition as a determinant of the cortical representation of L2.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1841-1852 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Brain |
| Volume | 121 |
| Issue number | 10 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1998 |
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Keywords
- Bilingualism
- Language comprehension
- PET
- Proficiency
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Neuroscience(all)
Cite this
The bilingual brain. Proficiency and age of acquisition of the second language. / Perani, Daniela; Paulesu, Eraldo; Galles, Nuria Sebastian; Dupoux, Emmanuel; Dehaene, Stanislas; Bettinardi, Valentino; Cappa, Stefane F.; Fazio, Ferruccio; Mehler, Jacques.
In: Brain, Vol. 121, No. 10, 1998, p. 1841-1852.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The bilingual brain. Proficiency and age of acquisition of the second language
AU - Perani, Daniela
AU - Paulesu, Eraldo
AU - Galles, Nuria Sebastian
AU - Dupoux, Emmanuel
AU - Dehaene, Stanislas
AU - Bettinardi, Valentino
AU - Cappa, Stefane F.
AU - Fazio, Ferruccio
AU - Mehler, Jacques
PY - 1998
Y1 - 1998
N2 - Functional imaging methods show differences in the pattern of cerebral activation associated with the subject's native language (L1) compared with a second language (L2). In a recent PET investigation on bilingualism we showed that auditory processing of stories in L1 (Italian) engages the temporal lobes and temporoparietal cortex more extensively than L2 (English). However, in that study the Italian subjects learned L2 late and attained a fair, but not an excellent command of this language (low proficiency, late acquisition bilinguals). Thus, the different patterns of activation could be ascribed either to age of acquisition or to proficiency level. In the current study we use a similar paradigm to evaluate the effect of early and late acquisition of L2 in highly proficient bilinguals. We studied a group of Italian-English bilinguals who acquired L2 after the age of 10 years (high proficiency, late acquisition bilinguals) and a group of Spanish-Catalan bilinguals who acquired L2 before the age of 4 years (high proficiency, early acquisition bilinguals). The differing cortical responses we had observed when low proficiency volunteers listened to stories in L1 and L2 were not found in either of the high proficiency groups in this study. Several brain areas, similar to those observed for L1 in low proficiency bilinguals, were activated by L2. These findings suggest that, at least for pairs of L1 and L2 languages that are fairly close, attained proficiency is more important than age of acquisition as a determinant of the cortical representation of L2.
AB - Functional imaging methods show differences in the pattern of cerebral activation associated with the subject's native language (L1) compared with a second language (L2). In a recent PET investigation on bilingualism we showed that auditory processing of stories in L1 (Italian) engages the temporal lobes and temporoparietal cortex more extensively than L2 (English). However, in that study the Italian subjects learned L2 late and attained a fair, but not an excellent command of this language (low proficiency, late acquisition bilinguals). Thus, the different patterns of activation could be ascribed either to age of acquisition or to proficiency level. In the current study we use a similar paradigm to evaluate the effect of early and late acquisition of L2 in highly proficient bilinguals. We studied a group of Italian-English bilinguals who acquired L2 after the age of 10 years (high proficiency, late acquisition bilinguals) and a group of Spanish-Catalan bilinguals who acquired L2 before the age of 4 years (high proficiency, early acquisition bilinguals). The differing cortical responses we had observed when low proficiency volunteers listened to stories in L1 and L2 were not found in either of the high proficiency groups in this study. Several brain areas, similar to those observed for L1 in low proficiency bilinguals, were activated by L2. These findings suggest that, at least for pairs of L1 and L2 languages that are fairly close, attained proficiency is more important than age of acquisition as a determinant of the cortical representation of L2.
KW - Bilingualism
KW - Language comprehension
KW - PET
KW - Proficiency
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0031718047&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/brain/121.10.1841
DO - 10.1093/brain/121.10.1841
M3 - Article
VL - 121
SP - 1841
EP - 1852
JO - Brain
JF - Brain
SN - 0006-8950
IS - 10
ER -