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How mother tongue moulds us

Datshiane Navanayagam talks to a linguist and a cognitive psychologist on what it means to be bilingual

Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to two women who research what happens to our thoughts, feelings and behaviours when we speak many languages. To what extent do we have a “mother tongue” – and what happens if we stop using it?

Dr Aneta Pavlenko is a Ukrainian-American linguist who looks at the emotional impact of moving between languages.

Professor Núria Sebastián Gallés is a Spanish cognitive psychologist who studies bilingual toddlers and young babies.

Produced by Rebecca Moore and Hannah Sander

(Image: (L) Aneta Pavlenko, courtesy Aneta Pavlenko. (R) Núria Sebastián Gallés, courtesy Núria Sebastián Gallés.)

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27 minutes

Last on

Sat 21 Mar 202617:32GMT

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  • Mon 16 Mar 202604:32GMT
  • Mon 16 Mar 202613:32GMT
  • Mon 16 Mar 202618:32GMT
  • Mon 16 Mar 202623:32GMT
  • Sat 21 Mar 202617:32GMT

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