Code-switching in multilinguals with dementia: patterns across speech contexts.

Code-switching in multilinguals with dementia: patterns across speech contexts. Clin Linguist Phon. 2019 Apr 24;:1-22 Authors: Svennevig J, Hansen P, Simonsen HG, Landmark AMD Abstract The study investigates code-switching by multilingual persons with dementia in two different speech contexts, picture naming tests and spontaneous conversation. It combines a psycholinguistic perspective on cognitive and linguistic skills with a qualitative conversation analytic approach to understanding the functions and appropriateness of code-switching in social interaction. The analysis shows that code-switching is used as a resource for compensating for word-retrieval problems in both the naming tests and in word search sequences in conversation. Furthermore, it serves to demarcate meta-communicative parentheses in which the participants comment on their process of word retrieval or express frustration about processing problems. Code-switching is generally treated as appropriate and relevant by the participants. In most instances, the speakers switch to a language known by the interlocutor. Only a few instances are treated as inappropriate by not being understandable to the interlocutor or by not adapting to the established language of the conversation. The patterns of code-switching are discussed considering typical symptoms of cognitive decline associated with dementia. Only very few instances may be interpreted as caused by a lack of awareness ...
Source: Clinical Linguistics and Phonetics - Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Tags: Clin Linguist Phon Source Type: research