Bilingualism Matters at the University of Edinburgh is pleased to host a two-day workshop “The selectivity of native language attrition” as part of the ESRC-funded First Language Attrition Seminar Series (ES/M001776/1) led by Monika Schmid (University of Essex).
Meeting Description
Very broadly, language attrition can be defined as changes in a speaker’s native language (L1) as a result of increased use of another language (L2). Among the most intriguing questions in research on bilingualism is the selectivity of L1 attrition in first-generation speakers. What exactly changes in the L1? Why are some linguistic properties more vulnerable than others to change under conditions of diminished exposure and use? Are these the same properties that are variable in heritage speakers, who may have experienced language attrition at an earlier age? An understanding of the relationship between L1 attrition and L2 acquisition in late bilinguals can advance our understanding of language and cognition in multilingualism.
We invite submissions on a large range of topics related to the relationship between L1 attrition, heritage languages, and generational/diachronic change. Submissions from a variety of backgrounds are welcome, such as linguistics, psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, and cognitive neuroscience.
Confirmed Invited Speakers
Kinsey Bice (Penn State University)
Laura Dominguez (University of Southampton)
Janet Grijzenhout (Universität Konstanz)
Important Dates
Abstract submission: 1 March – 2 May 2017 (extended)
Notification of acceptance: 15 May 2017
Early bird registration: 1 September – 10 October 2017
Seminar: 13–14 October 2017
Organizing committee
Antonella Sorace (University of Edinburgh, Bilingualism Matters)
Roumyana Slabakova (University of Southampton)