Multilinguals' language choice for mental calculation
| dc.contributor.author | Dewaele, Jean-Marc | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2008-08-28T18:29:27Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2008-08-28T18:29:27Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2007 | |
| dc.description.abstract | The present study investigates self-reported language choice for mental calculations among 1,454 adult multilinguals from a variety of linguistic, social and ethnic backgrounds. As mental calculation is a complex cognitive operation involving both language-dependent and language independent processes, we sought to establish a baseline of first language (L1) or foreign language(s) (LX) use for mental calculation and identify the factors that influence multilinguals’ choice of language for mental calculation. A series of multiple regression analyses on calculation in the L1, L2, L3 and L4 showed that the following variables (in decreasing order) are the best predictors of language choice: frequency of general use, self-perceived proficiency in writing, socialization in the LX, context of acquisition, communicative and/or foreign language anxiety, perceived usefulness, and age of onset of acquisition. These variables explained over 40 percent of the variance in the foreign languages. | |
| dc.identifier.citation | Intercultural Pragmatics, 4(3): 343-376 | |
| dc.identifier.issn | 1612-295X | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10315/1444 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Mouton Publishers | |
| dc.subject | Mental calculation | |
| dc.subject | Language choice | |
| dc.subject | Multilinguals | |
| dc.title | Multilinguals' language choice for mental calculation | |
| dc.type | Article |