Multilingual Minds and the Brain

Catalog description

Does multilingualism change your mind, literally and figuratively? In this course, we will examine several topics related to the differences between mono- and multilinguals. First, how juggling several languages in one brain may "train" certain skills so the multilingual mind processes information differently, even when that information is not language related. Second, how patterns of neural activation may also differ in mono- and multilinguals, changing language processing at that level. Third, how contexts of use and acquisition of different languages may affect how we process information in each one, changing how one makes decisions in each language they speak. We will use original sources to try and answer that initial question. Further, we will analyze published research and propose ways of developing it further. Prerequisites: 36-309 or 85-320 or 85-330 or 85-340 or 85-309 or 85-310