Crosslinguistic Influence and Crosslinguistic Interaction in Multilingual Language Learning

This research volume examines the cognitive strategies multilingual learners employ when encountering unfamiliar languages, focusing specifically on how background languages influence new language acquisition. Experts in multilingualism and crosslinguistic interaction investigate what factors trigger prior linguistic knowledge and how the "multilingual mind" navigates between multiple language systems. The collection provides valuable insights into recent developments in crosslinguistic influence research, moving beyond traditional second language acquisition models to explore complex multilingual processing.

What distinguishes this work is its focus on the dynamic interplay between known and unknown languages rather than treating multilingualism as simply additive. Language educators, researchers in applied linguistics, and advanced students of psycholinguistics will find particularly compelling the evidence showing how multilinguals strategically draw from their entire linguistic repertoire. The consistent focus on what constitutes the core multilingual cognitive experience makes this essential reading for understanding how we process multiple language systems simultaneously.