Article
Cognitive integration of language and memory in bilinguals: semantic representation
Francis, W. S. (1999). Cognitive integration of language and memory in bilinguals: Semantic representation. Psychological Bulletin, 125, 193-222.
Publication Date
January 1999
Journal/Book Title/Conference
Psychological Bulletin
Volume
125
Abstract
Understanding cognitive research on the integration of two languages in bilingual memory is difficult because of the different terminology, methodology, analysis, and interpretation strategies that scholars with different backgrounds bring to the research. These studies can be usefully categorized on two dimensions: memory for verbal experience versus linguistic knowledge; and systemwise versus pairwise issues. Experimental findings in this area converge on the conclusion that at the word meaning/conceptual level, both episodic and linguistic memory can be characterized as shared at the systems level, and at least partly shared at the pairwise translation-equivalent level. Interpretation problems that stem from weak hypothesis testing structure and from covert translation can be minimized by using appropriate design and analysis techniques.