Chapter published in:
Multidisciplinary Approaches to Bilingualism in the Hispanic and Lusophone World
Edited by Kate Bellamy, Michael W. Child, Paz González, Antje Muntendam and M. Carmen Parafita Couto
[Issues in Hispanic and Lusophone Linguistics 13] 2017
► pp. 235–258

The influence of structural distance in cross-linguistic transfer

A case study on Spanish-Basque bilingual aphasia

| University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)
We report on a case study of a Spanish-Basque bilingual with aphasia. Our aim is to explore the (dis)similarities between symptoms across linguistic components to see whether the impairment affects the two languages similarly, and whether the structural distance between these languages may influence the (dis)similarities found and the cross-linguistic pattern. Qualitative similarities in lexical and phonological impairments point towards cross-linguistic transfer of therapy benefits due to the typological proximity of the Spanish and Basque lexicon (cognates) and phonological systems. However, qualitative differences in comprehension make it difficult to sustain any cross-linguistic influence, which might be hindered by the structural distance between the morphosyntactic features of Spanish and Basque. Finally, the pattern of impairment observed supports the neurofunctional distinction of languages in bilinguals.
Keywords: bilingual aphasia, cross-linguistic transfer, bilingualism, Basque, Spanish
Published online: 31 May 2017
https://doi.org/10.1075/ihll.13.10mun
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