Abstract: Bilinguals seem to effortlessly choose which language they wish to speak, although studies show that both languages are always active even when bilinguals speak in monolingual contexts. I will present a series of studies on how bilinguals switch languages, thus revealing the mechanisms of bilingual language control in speech production. Specifically, I consider how bilinguals manage activation of cognates, which may pose special challenges to bilingual control mechanisms, because of overlap in form (e.g., the Spanish word for lemon is limón). While cognates sometimes facilitate language switching, in other situations they magnify interference and make it more difficult for bilinguals to switch languages, an effect that is even stronger among patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This work reveals that language switching requires both specialized linguistic processes and also relies on domain-general cognitive abilities such as inhibition, and monitoring. In addition, it has implications for neuropsychological evaluation of bilinguals, and has uncovered unique tasks for early detection of AD that can be used in bilinguals and monolinguals alike. Finally, I will present my current and future plans regarding how to have a more comprehensive understanding of bilingual language control in different populations.

This year’s SHRP schedule is available here: https://purdue.edu/TPAN/hearing/shrp_schedule

Titles and abstracts of all SHRP talks are here: https://purdue.edu/TPAN/hearing/shrp_abstracts