Is there an effect of diglossia on cognition? An investigation of the relationship between diglossia and Executive Functions in young adults.

Abstract

Recent studies investigating whether bilingualism has effects on cognitive abilities beyond language have produced mixed results, with evidence from young adults typically showing no effects. These inconclusive patterns have been attributed to many uncontrolled factors, including linguistic similarity and the conversational contexts the bilinguals find themselves in, including the opportunities they get to switch between their languages. In this study, we focus on the effects on cognition of diglossia, a linguistic situation where two varieties of the same language are spoken in different and clearly separable contexts. We used linear mixed models to compare 32 Arabic diglossic young adults, and 38 English monolinguals on cognitive tasks assessing the Executive Functions domains of inhibition, switching and working memory. Results revealed that, despite both groups performing as expected on all tasks, there were no effects of diglossia on their performance in any of these domains. These results are discussed in relation to the Adaptive Control Hypothesis. Considering that this is the first study to investigate the diglossic advantages in Arabic, we propose that any effects on Executive Functions that may be attributed to the use of more than one language or language variety should not be expected when the two are used in exclusive contexts with limited opportunity to switch between them.

Dialect Recognition via Lexical Processing: Is It a Viable Litmus Test?

“…The British-American English bidialectal speakers may not use both English dialects on a daily basis in distinct contexts. Previous studies also show that exposure to remotely related dialects enhances the inhibitory control more swiftly than exposure to dialects that are closely related (see Alrwaita 2021;Oschwald et al 2018). Therefore, the discrepancies in the previous studies can be related to the degree of similarity between the dialects of the bidialectal speakers.…”

“…Studies show that there is a direct link between previous language experiences (e.g., frequency and consistency of use) and inhibitory control (see Alrwaita 2021;Alrwaita et al 2022;Green 2011;Green and Abutalebi 2013;Linck et al 2008). In this regard, the Oromo bidialectal speakers use both dialects daily, the Eastern dialect in the outside school contexts and the Western dialect in the school context.…”

“…This provides ample opportunities for regularly switching between the two dialects. Several studies indicate that there is a strong link between the frequency of switching between two dialects and the dialect-processing capability (Alrwaita 2021;Alrwaita et al 2022;Green and Abutalebi 2013;Lundquist and Vangsnes 2018).…”

“…Some dialect contexts offer equal conversation opportunity for every dialect. These types of contexts exert a stronger influence on cognitive processing than contexts in which just one of the dialects is frequently used (Alrwaita 2021;Alrwaita et al 2022Alrwaita et al , 2023aAlrwaita et al , 2023bGreen and Abutalebi 2013).…”