Many studies evidence the flexibility of speech perception in the first language (L1), which allows rapid adaptation to unfamiliar foreign accents. Two influential studies by Bradlow and Bent (2008) and a follow-up study by Baese-Berk et al. (2013) found that increased variability as a function of the number of talkers and accents facilitated the…

A preface by Andre Martinet and a brief discussion of the author's approach to research introduce this descriptive study of bilingualism. Various aspects of interference--lexical, grammatical, and phonic are examined. Major emphasis is focused on the role and influence of socio-cultural setting and psychological factors inherent in bilingualism.…