A diplomatic advantage? The effects of bilingualism and formal language training on language aptitude amongst Australian diplomatic officers

Title
A diplomatic advantage? The effects of bilingualism and formal language training on language aptitude amongst Australian diplomatic officers
Publication Date
2014
Author(s)
Planchon, Anita
Ellis, Elizabeth M
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7936-7651
Email: eellis4@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:eellis4
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Routledge
Place of publication
United Kingdom
DOI
10.1080/09658416.2012.742907
UNE publication id
une:15412
Abstract
This study sought to contribute to the growing literature on third and subsequent language learning by establishing whether bilingualism has an effect on ability to learn a subsequent language, as indicated by a measure of language aptitude, the Defense Language Aptitude Battery (DLAB). Test results were obtained for 142 diplomatic officers in the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). The officers' language biographies were elicited using an online questionnaire and were used to classify them as monolingual or bilingual, and with or without experience of formal language training. Results showed that bilinguals performed better on the aptitude test than monolinguals, as did those with prior formal training. This suggests that bilinguals' metalinguistic awareness, and likelihood of success in subsequent language learning, is higher than that of monolinguals, at least as measured by the DLAB.
Link
Citation
Language Awareness, 23(3), p. 203-219
ISSN
1747-7565
0965-8416
Start page
203
End page
219

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