Professor Antonella Sorace spoke to Sardinian newspaper L’Unione Sarda. The article, published on 1 August, discussed the evidence for cognitive advantages of bilingualism, and Professor Sorace’s work here at Bilingualism Matters.
Readers outside of Italy may not be aware that there is a Sardinian language, which is distinct from Italian. Someone who speaks Sardinian is not simply speaking Italian with a different accent – they are speaking another language. As such, many Sardinians are bilingual, speaking both Italian and Sardinian.
However, this wasn’t always the case. The article touches on something called the “Bregungia generation” –refering to the generations of Sardinians who considered it shameful to speak their own language instead of Italian. Thankfully, modern research is now helping to demonstrate that growing up speaking both Sardinian and Italian is an advantage, not a burden.
You can download an English translation (pdf file): 01-08-14 Bilingualism Makes You Smart translation
Or practice your Italian by downloading the original Italian article (pdf file): 01-08-14 i bilinguismo rende svegli
