Читать книгу The Mysteries of Bilingualism. Unresolved Issues онлайн

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The last part, Part IV, deals with Biculturalism and Personality. In the first chapter, we describe bilinguals who are also bicultural: how they can be defined, how they become bicultural, how they adapt their behaviors to different cultural situations, and how they identify with their cultures. And in the second chapter, we attempt to answer a question often asked: do bilinguals change personalities when they change language? We will review opinions and beliefs, examine the results of past and present studies, and look at variables that are involved in feeling different when using different languages. We will end with an explanation that finally solves this enigma.

Two points need to be made here. First, the book has been written so that each chapter is self-contained: it raises an issue and then discusses the research that has been done to help solve it. When information that is required is given in another chapter, it is evoked succinctly in the chapter being read and then a reference is given to the other chapter. The second point is that bilingual adults and children are discussed together in every chapter unless there is a reason to separate them. This is the case, for example, in ssss1 on language loss where the larger of the two parts concerns children. And, of course, ssss1 on language separation is wholly dedicated to them.