Language and Math: What If We Have Two Separate Naming Systems?

Abstract

The role of language in numerical processing has traditionally been restricted to counting and exact arithmetic. Nevertheless, the impact that each of a bilinguals' languages may have in core numerical representations has not been questioned until recently. What if the language in which math has been first acquired (LL math ) had a bigger impact in our math processing? Based on previous studies on language switching we hypothesize that balanced bilinguals would behave like unbalanced bilinguals when switching between the two codes for math. In order to address this question, we measured the brain activity with magneto encephalography (MEG) and source estimation analyses of 12 balanced Basque-Spanish speakers performing a task in which participants were unconscious of the switches between the two codes. The results show an asymmetric switch cost between the two codes for math, and that the brain areas responsible for these switches are similar to those thought to belong to a general task switching mechanism. This implies that the dominances for math and language could run separately from the general language dominance.

Reevaluating the Language of Learning Advantage in Bilingual Arithmetic: An ERP Study on Spoken Multiplication Verification

“…Language differences only arose when subjects were required to work in both languages a single session (i.e., language switching). An asymmetric switching effect has also been observed for number word reading in bilingual adults [34].…”

“…In fact, one study investigating language preference in simple arithmetic showed that a preference for the LA+ only occurred when the trials switched between languages, but not when the trials were blocked by language [33]. An asymmetric switching effect has also been observed for number word reading in bilingual adults [34].…”

Code-switching Between English and Russian with Russian Heritage Speakers, Born and Raised in Russian-speaking Families in the USA

“…That is why it was easier and faster for his brain to switch to English, to perform the familiar counting operation in this language. This fact is supported by the bilingual research on Math cognition, which has demonstrated that bilinguals feel more comfortable and perform better in the language in which they have learnt arithmetic in school (Marsh & Maki, 1976;Martinez, 2019). The same explanation can be used for code-switching of the word "fraction" into English, line 36.…”