The Impact of the Way Bilinguals Acquire Their Second Language on Their Language Comprehension and Lexical Access

Abstract

The present study aims to look at how bilinguals' lexical access and language understanding varies depending on how they acquired their second language. When considering second-language acquisition, the contrast between formal and informal learning environments is critical. According to Lightbown and Spada (2001), informal settings are those where an adult learner is exposed to the target language at home, at work, or via social contact, while formal settings are those where the target language is taught to a group of second or foreign language learners. The present study found that bilinguals who learned their second language formally performed better than bilinguals who learned their second language informally.