Language switch and control in bilinguals

Abstract

Abstract A switch cost usually refers to a delay in performing a task when a switch of language is involved. This phenomenon has been actively explored to understand the mechanisms of language control and language regulation in bilinguals, often inspired by the inhibitory control model. This research has led to the discovery of four switch-related findings: widely observed switch costs, an asymmetry in switch costs, an L2 advantage in mixed-language condition, and a mixing cost. Multiple proposals have been forwarded to explain (a) what underlies these code switch effects, and (b) how language regulation is achieved in general. These proposals differ with regard to (a) whether an inhibitory process is involved in code switching and in language control in general, and (b) the locus of the switch effects (i.e., inside or outside of the bilingual lexicon).