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Chapter 17. Understanding the nature of bilingual aphasia

Diagnosis, assessment and rehabilitation
  • Swathi Kiran and Teresa Gray

Abstract

In this chapter, we review the current state of the science with regards to bilingual aphasia. Four important themes emerge from this research. First, bilingual aphasia is an exponentially complex manifestation of a dynamic interaction between age of acquisition, exposure, proficiency, and impairment after brain damage. Second, findings of language coactivation have implications for bilingual aphasia rehabilitation in terms of whether cross language generalization can be expected or not. Third, few studies on bilingual aphasia have begun to examine this notion of domain general versus domain specific language and cognitive control. Finally, there are structural and functional changes in the bilingual brain, and in the case of brain damage, these changes can impact the extent of language impairment and recovery.

Abstract

In this chapter, we review the current state of the science with regards to bilingual aphasia. Four important themes emerge from this research. First, bilingual aphasia is an exponentially complex manifestation of a dynamic interaction between age of acquisition, exposure, proficiency, and impairment after brain damage. Second, findings of language coactivation have implications for bilingual aphasia rehabilitation in terms of whether cross language generalization can be expected or not. Third, few studies on bilingual aphasia have begun to examine this notion of domain general versus domain specific language and cognitive control. Finally, there are structural and functional changes in the bilingual brain, and in the case of brain damage, these changes can impact the extent of language impairment and recovery.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Chapter 1. Studies in bilingualism 1
  4. Part I. Theoretical accounts
  5. Chapter 2. Bilingual child acquisition through the lens of sociolinguistic approaches 15
  6. Chapter 3. Usage-based approaches to second language acquisition 37
  7. Chapter 4. Formal linguistics and second language acquisition 57
  8. Part II. Child bilingualism
  9. Chapter 5. Simultaneous child bilingualism 81
  10. Chapter 6. Child L2 acquisition 103
  11. Chapter 7. The role of language input environments for language outcomes and language acquisition in young bilingual children 127
  12. Chapter 8. Literacy development in linguistically diverse pupils 155
  13. Chapter 9. CHILDES for bilingualism 183
  14. Part III. Adult bilingualism
  15. Chapter 10. Syntactic representations in late learners of a second language 205
  16. Chapter 11. First language attrition and bilingualism 225
  17. Chapter 12. Different situations, similar outcomes 251
  18. Part IV. Bilingual cognition, neuroscience and impairment
  19. Chapter 13. Bilingualism and executive function 283
  20. Chapter 14. Words on the brain 307
  21. Chapter 15. Neurobiology of bilingualism 325
  22. Chapter 16. Bilingualism and children with developmental language and communication disorders 347
  23. Chapter 17. Understanding the nature of bilingual aphasia 371
  24. Index 401
Bilingual Cognition and Language
This chapter is in the book Bilingual Cognition and Language
https://doi.org/10.1075/sibil.54.17kir

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Chapter 1. Studies in bilingualism 1
  4. Part I. Theoretical accounts
  5. Chapter 2. Bilingual child acquisition through the lens of sociolinguistic approaches 15
  6. Chapter 3. Usage-based approaches to second language acquisition 37
  7. Chapter 4. Formal linguistics and second language acquisition 57
  8. Part II. Child bilingualism
  9. Chapter 5. Simultaneous child bilingualism 81
  10. Chapter 6. Child L2 acquisition 103
  11. Chapter 7. The role of language input environments for language outcomes and language acquisition in young bilingual children 127
  12. Chapter 8. Literacy development in linguistically diverse pupils 155
  13. Chapter 9. CHILDES for bilingualism 183
  14. Part III. Adult bilingualism
  15. Chapter 10. Syntactic representations in late learners of a second language 205
  16. Chapter 11. First language attrition and bilingualism 225
  17. Chapter 12. Different situations, similar outcomes 251
  18. Part IV. Bilingual cognition, neuroscience and impairment
  19. Chapter 13. Bilingualism and executive function 283
  20. Chapter 14. Words on the brain 307
  21. Chapter 15. Neurobiology of bilingualism 325
  22. Chapter 16. Bilingualism and children with developmental language and communication disorders 347
  23. Chapter 17. Understanding the nature of bilingual aphasia 371
  24. Index 401
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