Performance in L1 and L2 observed in Arabic-Hebrew bilingual aphasic following brain tumor: A case constitutes double dissociation

• Main Author: Raphiq Ibrahim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2008-10-01
• Series: Psychology Research and Behavior Management
• Online Access: http://www.dovepress.com/performance-in-l1-and-l2-observed-in-arabic-hebrew-bilingual-aphasic-f-a2334

Raphiq IbrahimUniversity of Haifa and Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, IsraelAbstract: This study aimed to verify the existence of a double first language (L1)/second language (L2) dissociation. In recent work, I described a case study of a Arabic-Hebrew aphasic patient (MH) with disturbances in the two languages, with Hebrew (L2) being more impaired. In this case, an Arabic-Hebrew bilingual patient (MM) with a similar cultural background who suffered brain damage following a left hemisphere tumor (oligodendroglioma) and craniotomy is reported. The same materials were used, which overcame methodological constraints in our previous work. The results revealed a complementary pattern of severe impairment of L1 (Arabic), while MM had mild language disorder in L2 (Hebrew) with intact semantic knowledge in both languages. These two cases demonstrate a double L1/L2 dissociation in unique languages, and support the notion that bilingual persons could have distinct cortical language areas.Keywords: aphasia, arabic, hebrew, brain damage, dissociation, double-dissociation, bilingual, localization