First language attrition as a topic of psycholinguistic research

Abstract

The article gives an overview of the complex psycholinguistic topic of first language decay in healthy individuals, often called (first) language attrition. It deals with what triggers, determines and influences the process of attrition, how the attrition differs between adults and children, which language areas are affected and how.

Additionally, methodological aspects of attrition research are also discussed. This specific research domain is put into the broader context of viewing language as a dynamic system.

Under this perspective, language attrition is seen as a special case of lifelong language development.

Keywords

• language attrition
• language loss
• first language
• bilingualism
• psycholinguistics