The Bilingual Mental Lexicon

Interdisciplinary Approaches

Edited by Dr. Aneta Pavlenko

Publication date:

22 January 2009

Publisher

Multilingual Matters

Dimensions:

210x148mm
6x8"

ISBN-13: 9781847691255

How are words organized in the bilingual mind? How are they linked to concepts? How do bi- and multilinguals process words in their multiple languages? The first aim of this volume is to offer up-to-date answers to these questions. Its second aim is to provide readers with detailed step-by-step introductions to a variety of methodological approaches used to investigate the bilingual lexicon, from traditional neurocognitive and psycholinguistic approaches to the more recent ones that examine language use in context.

Preface: Time for new metaphors? - Aneta Pavlenko

Chapter 1 Neurolinguistic contributions to understanding the bilingual mental lexicon - Renata Meuter

Chapter 2 The bilingual lexicon and bilingual autobiographical memory: The neurocognitive basic-systems view - Robert W. Schrauf

Chapter 3 Audio-visual integration during bilingual language processing - Viorica Marian

Chapter 4 An overview of semantic processing in bilinguals: methods and findings - Jeanette Altarriba

Chapter 5 Lexical Transfer - Scott Jarvis

Chapter 6 Conceptual representation in the bilingual lexicon and second language vocabulary learning - Aneta Pavlenko

Chapter 7 Why gestures are relevant to the bilingual lexicon - Marianne Gullberg

Chapter 8 The Tip-of-the-Tongue Phenomenon as a Window on (Bilingual) Lexical Retrieval - Peter Ecke

Chapter 9 L1 attrition and the mental lexicon - Monika S. Schmid and Barbara Köpke

Conceptions of language representation are changing. Words are not static entries in a mental dictionary. Instead they are part of human communication, ever contextualised in people and their lives, languages, meanings, interactions, and selves. In bringing together lead researchers in the various relevant disciplines, Aneta Pavlenko produces a compelling account of this important new perspective as it applies to bilingualism. Despite its interdisciplinarity, this is rigorous research, with each approach following its own characteristic steps. It is exciting too, as together these chapters reveal the intricate rhythms of the bilingual lexicon. The approach, and Pavlenko’s enthusiasm, are catching. This is a vibrant and readable volume – pick it up, and join the dance.