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Writer's pictureLuciana Antezana
Feb 282 min read

Are you feeling bilingual or bye-lingual?



¡Feliz miércoles! Happy Wednesday! 🙌🏽 Today we are wondering which of these two words you are feeling more like : bilingual or “bye-lingual”? We share more on this thanks to the work of one of our awesome undergraduate research assistants @marissa.cintora ✨


Bilingual language development and complex and requires the consideration of a variety of factors, including age the languages were learned, domains where languages were learned (see our post on the Complementarity Principle for more on this), environments they are used, how often each is heard and used and for what purposes.


It is normal for specific words to be forgotten, especially if they aren’t used very frequently in the language. When words are forgotten, bilinguals typically use the words they do have available like using the correct word in the other language, or they begin to describe what the forgotten word is (it’s the thing you use when you have a nail you want to put in the wall to hang something - you hold it with your hand). 💭 🔨


Remember, bilinguals often have two representations and two developing languages, and the opportunity to hear and use each is reduced based on opportunities to use each in their lives. Here is where you can reflect and give yourself the pat on the back for working through using each of your languages - don’t be discouraged - give yourself more opportunities to use and hear the language you feel like you struggle with most. Everyone can learn a second language 🫶🏽


Do you find this happens to you? How do you make your ideas understood when you forget a word? Drop it in our comments below! 👇🏽 🧠


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