Cognitive Neuroscience and Multilingualism
This chapter presents some of the major findings of two types of imaging (hemodynamic and electrophysiological) in the context of the study of multilingualism. One of the issues with the study of bilingualism and the brain is the lack of empirically valid proficiency data on the subjects included in these studies. Research agendas of brain and language(s) can benefit when taking advantage of fundamental notions central to the field of theoretical linguistics. The chapter touches on some of the more salient concepts that are relevant to the neuroscience of multilingualism. The inevitability of translation at all levels of human language is one of the fundamental defining principles of language itself. The chapter looks specifically at cortical stimulation mapping (CSM) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The existence of internationally recognized proficiency testing systems like the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) makes it feasible for neuroscience research to treat language proficiency in an empirically reliable way.
