Psycholinguistics and Neurocognition of Multilingualism

This course is mandatory for students in the MA programme in English Acquisition and Multilingualism. This course may also be taken as an elective course by students in the MA programme in Theoretical Linguistics and MA programme in Teacher Education year 8-13 (lektor i språk og samfunnsfag trinn 8-13, studieretning engelsk, jf. progresjonskrav for år 4). This course may be taken as a single course by students who qualify for admission to the MA programme in English Acquisition and Multilingualism.

This course provides an introduction to the psycho/neurolinguistic and neurocognitive study of multilingualism. In doing so, it first covers the structures and processes underlying the production and comprehension of language in general before moving onto the specificity of how this is studied when an individual has two (or more) languages. The course covers aspects of specific domains of language processing, cognitive mechanisms involved in the processing of language (e.g., language and executive control systems), neuroanatomy/physiology, the more commonly used research methods for studying the (cognitive) neuroscience of multilingualism and potential secondary effects to domain general cognition as a result of bi-/multilingual language experience.

A bachelor's degree (180 ECTS), or equivalent qualification, in English language, or a degree combining English language and literature (minimum 80 ECTS in English). Applicants who hold a bachelor's degree or equivalent issued in Europe, Canada, USA, Australia and New Zealand: An average grade equivalent to C or better is required. Applicants who hold a bachelor's degree or equivalent issued in countries other than the above-mentioned region/countries: An average grade equivalent to B or better is required.

ENG-2019 is recommended as a previous course for internal applicants but is not required.

Application code: 9371 - Enkeltemner på masternivå (Nordic applicants).

By the end of the course, the students have the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge

The aim of the course is to acquaint students with established results in this area from the fields of linguistics, psychology and neuroscience. By the end of the course, the students will have gained:

• knowledge of our current understanding of the mental processes involved in the processing and production of natural language in normal bi-multilingual adults of various types (simultaneous, sequential, naturalistic in immersion, classroom learners, etc.) across the lifespan, starting in young adulthood through advanced aging
• knowledge of the various neurocognitive empirical methods used to test linguistic behavior and (hypothesized to be) related domain-general cognition inclusive of how they can be interpreted
• an understanding of the relationship between bi-/multilingualism and outcomes of linguistic and neurocognitive competencies, inclusive of the experiential factors argued to condition individual differences
• an understanding of the added value in studying the aforementioned related to societal impacts and health at multiple levels as well as equitable understanding of bi-/multilingualism, minority languages and their communities.

Skills

By the end of the course, the students have acquired the following basic skills:

• the ability to communicate clearly the knowledge objectives described above both orally and in writing
• the ability to think about and discuss issues concerning the relationship between linguistic and neurocognitive data and what it might tell us about the mind/brain and its relationship with language/multilingualism more generally
• a critical appreciation of different theories of linguistic representation, language processing, general cognition and the relationship between lifestyle enrichment factors (multilingualism as an potential independent source of improvement) and cognitive aging as found in the research literature
• a basic ability to conduct original empirical research in the covered areas.

Recommended prerequisites

ENG-2019 Psychology of Language

The course will consist of lectures, discussion of specific readings and project work.

All courses will be evaluated once during the period of the study program.

Language of instruction and examination

More info about the coursework requirements

Re-sit examination