Word searching in multilingual dementia: An interdisciplinary approach

Abstract

Aims and objectives: This study investigates how multilingual speakers with dementia mobilise their multilingual and interactional resources when searching for words in a naming test setting, and how their word-search behaviour relates to lexical retrieval processes characteristic of multilinguals, as well as to aspects of cognitive decline. Methodology and approach: The study takes an interdisciplinary approach by combining conversation analysis (CA) with psycholinguistic perspectives on lexical access and neurological perspectives on cognitive decline. Data and analysis: Data for the study are video/audio-recordings of seven multilingual speakers with dementia carrying out a naming test in their two common languages, English and Norwegian. CA was used for analysing the data and developing a coding scheme for word-search strategies. These findings were explored with statistical analysis based on language background, test scores, word proprieties/psycholinguistic properties, and cognitive/diagnostic assessment. Findings/conclusions: Multilingual speakers with dementia mainly used six general word-search strategies in the Norwegian and English naming test sessions: turn-holding, semantic searches, phonetic searches, embodied demonstrations, code-switching to another language, and inviting help from the conversation partner. The participants used more search-strategies in English, although it was their stronger language. Code-switching appeared to be the most successful strategy in English and phonetic searches appeared to be the most successful strategy in Norwegian. In-depth analysis of two participants indicate a benefit of using multiple strategies, drawing on their full linguistic repertoire. Originality: The study adds new knowledge to the interrelated, but previously separated areas of psycholinguistic word-finding difficulties and interactional word-searching behaviour, in the context of multilingual dementia. Implications: The study has implications for our understanding of the relation between observable word-searching behaviour and mental processes of word finding in multilinguals with dementia. The study also contributes to our growing understanding of test situations as interaction, with implications for everyday interaction and clinical practice.