One would think that your native language is for life, right? Apparently not.
In a thought-provoking article by Madeleine Schwartz for the NY Times, we learn about the author’s personal experience of linguistic transformation after moving to Paris. Despite being bilingual in English & French from childhood, the immersion into French culture began to noticeably affect her English. This phenomenon, known as language attrition, shows that our first languages aren’t as permanently embedded as we might think.
Studies suggest that adding a new language can create competition with existing ones, leading to blending or loss of fluency.
Emotional ties & self-perception play crucial roles in how well we retain our languages. Trauma or rejection associated with a language can accelerate its attrition.
Age Matters: Children can completely lose a language if they stop speaking it before age 12. Predictably, languages used into adulthood are more resilient.
‘Interference’: Bilingual individuals often struggle to keep their languages separate, leading to mixed vocabulary & accents.
Some possible implications for ELT Teachers?
- Recognize Language Fluidity: Understand that students’ languages can influence each other. Create activities that embrace this fluidity rather than fight it.
- Cultural Sensitivity: Be aware of the emotional backgrounds tied to languages. Foster a supportive environment where students feel safe using all their languages.
- Encourage Code-Switching: Use code-switching as a learning tool. It reflects real-world bilingual usage & can strengthen both languages.
If you have any experience of losing your L1 (or bits of it), I’d love to hear about it.
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