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Part of
Second Language Acquisition Theory: The legacy of Professor Michael H. Long
Edited by Alessandro G. Benati and John W. Schwieter
[Bilingual Processing and Acquisition 14] 2022
► pp. 177–196

Chapter 9
Age of acquisition in second language thinking

| Stockholm University | Stellenbosch University
| Stellenbosch University | Lancaster University

Debates around age effects in L2 learning have mostly centred around the domains of phonology, morphosyntax, and lexis. In this chapter, we expand the scope to conceptual and cognitive restructuring, much in line with Long’s (1990, 2013) discussion of the limits of age effects. Drawing on an extensive review of the extant literature, the current chapter examines the role that age of L2 acquisition plays for phenomena of thinking-for-speaking and linguistic relativity. The chapter closes with methodological suggestions for future research.

Article outline
  • Introduction
  • Language and thought
    • Linguistic relativity
    • Thinking-for-speaking
  • Effects of age of acquisition in L2 thinking
  • Interpreting age effects in L2 thinking
  • Towards a better understanding of AoA in L2 thinking
  • Conclusion
  • Note
  • References
Published online: 11 August 2022
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/bpa.14.09byl
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