Life as a Bilingual Knowing and Using Two or More Languages
About half the world's population knows and uses two or more languages in everyday life, and an increasing number of parents are raising their children bilingual. This makes a resource on what it means to become and be bilingual all the more necessary. This book brings together a selection of posts from the author's highly successful Psychology Today blog, grouped by topic into 15 chapters. The topics covered include, among others, what it means to be bilingual, the extent of bilingualism, how someone becomes bilingual, how bilingualism is fostered in the family, the bilingual mind and brain, and bilingualism across the lifespan. It also includes the author's lively interviews with other experts, delving into their research and their own experience as bilinguals. Written in a highly engaging, readable style, this book is suitable for anyone who wants to better understand those who live with two or more languages.
- Gives a comprehensive overview of what it means to live with two or more languages
- Provides an up to date description of the bilingual adult and child based on current research in the domains of linguistics, psychology, child development, education and brain sciences
- Chapters are divided into short posts and written in a very accessible style, making them suitable for readers with no prior experience of linguistics