Laka: 'Language exists in the brain'(the prior preparation period being very ...),Health

Date:6/30/2008

the prior preparation period being very long", explained Ms Laka. For the moment, work is being carried out with small children of four, five and six and the aim is to undertake the study with even younger children. In fact, we start to be fluent in a language before birth; if we wait for a child to say its first words in order to study the acquisition process for or the initiation of a language, it is too late".

The acquisition of languages amongst bilingual persons is a theme that is as complex as it is mysterious "For example, if we analyse two syllables that sound the same with a machine that measures sound frequencies, we will see that they are not exactly the same; so, how does the baby know it is hearing the same syllable? What is for him or her "the same" or "different"? The Mente Bilinge team aims to respond to these questions by means of an experimental methodology and, to this end, the researchers are preparing specific material based on their investigations in the field of phonology.

Different ways of processing the language

"We do not know how bilingual persons represent and manage their languages and it is in the monolingual situation that we understand the processing mechanisms better - bilingualism being much less understood", explained Ms Laka. As regards the structure of the language, the order of words is a good example for studying bilingualism. "Basque has a free order of words, but something we linguists call neutral or canonical order exists, i.e. that which requires less effort from the brain", she explained. According to the terminology of linguistic typology, Basque is a SOV (subject-object-verb) language, and Spanish or English are, on the other hand, SVO type. In the Mente Bilinge team we want to find answers to questions such as: "For those persons whose mother language is Spanish and then learn Basque after the age of five, which of these typologies or word orders do they use in
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Contact: Alaitz Ochoa de Eribe alaitzo@elhuyar.com 34-688-673-679 Elhuyar Fundazioa Source:Eurekalert

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