Foreign Language and Mother Tongue

Foreign Language and Mother Tongue
By Istvan Kecskes, TAnde Papp, Tunde Papp
Number Of Pages:   176
Publication Date:   2000-06-01
ISBN-10 / ASIN:   0805827595
ISBN-13 / EAN:   9780805827590 

 This is the first book that discusses the effect of foreign language learning on first language processing. The authors argue that multilingual development is a dynamic and cumulative process characterized by transfer of different nature, and results in a common underlying conceptual base with two or more language channels that constantly interact with each other.

Language representation and processing are discussed from a cognitive-pragmatic rather than a lexical-syntactic perspective. This required the review of several crucial issues of L2 acquisition, such as transfer, vocabulary development, conceptual fluency, and pragmatic skills. The authors also reviewed a large body of literature touching on cognitive psychology, linguistics, psycholinguistics, SLA, philosophy, and education in order to explain multilingual development and the positive effect of foreign language learning on the first language.