Abstract
Neuroimaging studies showed that linguistic functions are less lateralized in polyglots than in monolinguals. However, there is not much agreement about the role of the two hemispheres in semantic and syntactic processing in bilinguals. In this study, 35 right-handed Italian speakers were shown 520 words and pseudo-words. The task consisted in detecting a given target letter by pressing a button with either the left or right hand. 19 simultaneous interpreters and 16 monolingual University students participated in the study. Interpreters performed the task in their native (L1) and second language (L2 = English); monolingual students only in L1. Response times to targets were recorded as a function of the hand used. RTs were faster to words than pseudo-words (word superiority effect). Results showed a significant right hand/LH advantage for the student group, and a complete lack of asymmetry for the interpreters both in L1 and L2. These data indicate a left-lateralization of linguistic functions in monolinguals and reduced lateralization in polyglots. The lack of lateralization in interpreters can be attributed either to their polyglottism, or to their prolonged practice of simultaneous interpreting strategies (e.g., dealing with two input channels; right ear/LH for listening to themselves interpret and left ear/RH for listening to the source language).
Highlights
It is known that linguistic functions are left lateralized in the human brain, and that about 85% of the world’s population is right-handed
The cerebral organization of linguistic functions in bilinguals depends on variation in language experience such as the age of acquisition of both foreign and native languages, the degree of proficiency, the context of acquisition, the exposure to different linguistic environments
One way to investigate the brain lateralization of linguistic functions controlling for the level of proficiency is to study simultaneous interpreters
Summary
It is known that linguistic functions are left lateralized in the human brain, and that about 85% of the world’s population is right-handed. The cerebral organization of linguistic functions in bilinguals depends on variation in language experience such as the age of acquisition of both foreign and native languages, the degree of proficiency, the context of acquisition (affective vs scholar), the exposure to different linguistic environments. One way to investigate the brain lateralization of linguistic functions controlling for the level of proficiency is to study simultaneous interpreters. They master multiple languages to the highest proficiency levels because of their specialized studies and their professional activity. The observation of these individuals offers the possibility to control for the age of acquisition of native vs foreign languages, and to establish the exposure to specific linguistic environments. To our knowledge, very few cognitive studies on lateral preference and multilingualism have been performed on simultaneous interpreters, and even fewer of them have performed direct brain measurements
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