Stuttering patterns may differ when comparing two languages. In bilinguals, specific patterns of stuttering in each one of the languages may potentially be found. This study reports on the case of a 27-year-old Spanish/English simultaneous bilingual whose dominant language is English. Speech and language testing was performed in both languages (language repetition, language understanding, vocabulary, reading, verbal fluency, spontaneous speech and conversational speech). Some differences in the stuttering distribution were found: stuttering in adjectives, adverbs and conjunctions occurred at least twice as much in Spanish as in English; stuttering was also more frequent in verbs in Spanish. Some hypotheses are presented to explain the differences in stuttering severity in both languages. It seems that when comparing stuttering in two different languages in the same subject, it is possible to find similarities in the stuttering pattern, suggesting general stuttering laws; but also differences, associated not only with language-specific idiosyncrasies but also with the individual's bilingualism characteristics.

No abstract

Bilinguals use two different language systems to mediate not only social communication, but also cognitive processes. Potential differences between bilinguals and monolinguals in task-solving strategies and patterns of cognitive decline during normal and abnormal aging have been suggested.Main contributionA research review of the area suggests that normal aging is associated with increased interference between the two languages and tendency to retreat to a single language. General cognitive functioning has been found to be higher in demented bilingual patients if communication is carried out in L1 rather than in L2. Recent research has reported that bilingualism can have a protective effect during aging, attenuating the normal cognitive decline associated with aging, and delaying the onset of dementia.ConclusionsRegardless of the significant heterogeneity of bilingualism and the diversity of patterns in language use during life-span, current research suggests that bilingualism is associated with preserved cognitive test performance during aging, and potentially can have some protective effect in dementia.

Language mediates not only the social relationship systems, but also the control of cognitive processes. Potential differences between bilinguals and monolinguals in age-associated cognitive decline during normal and abnormal aging have been suggested. A research review of the area suggests that normal aging is associated with increased interference between the two languages. Regression to the primary language can be considered as a predictor of dementia. Recent research has reported that bilingualism can have a protective effect during aging. Bilinguals are usually faster in performing different attention tasks, and more efficient in tests of executive control. Research has supported the assumption that using two or more different languages frequently can provide not only some social, but also cognitive, advantages during normal and abnormal aging.

This article reports a longitudinal study of developing communication in two profoundly deaf preschool boys growing up in oral deaf families who use oral English as their primary language. The children were videotaped in play interactions with their profoundly deaf mothers. The nature of the gestural communication used by the dyads is the focus of interest in this article. In contrast to hearing mothers of deaf children, the two mothers used extensive gestures to accompany their speech, including rich and varied gesture sequences. The children also developed a repertoire of gestures that, in most respects, mirrored the properties of the input gesture they received. The results provide a window on the natural ontogenesis of a compensatory gestural system.