Ageing with bilingualism: benefits and challenges

Much of the world’s population speaks more than one language, and there has been a great deal of media attention given to the potential benefits of bilingualism. In this paper we provide a critical overview of the literature on bilingualism as it relates to older adults. We address whether there is indeed a cognitive advantage from speaking more than one language, and whether it can help preserve cognitive and linguistic function as we age, and potentially reduce the impact of dementia. We also focus on the patterns of language impairment after stroke (aphasia) in bilingual speakers and the issues relating to clinical management of bilingual aphasia

Tradition Versus Modernity in Papua New Guinea

Adelaide Festival of Ideas session, Elder Hall, 11:45am, Saturday 8th October, 2011. Chaired by Michael Lavarch. Carol Kidu will reflect on the disconnection between tradition and modernity in a culturally diverse nation facing differential rates of change. Many societies that have survived for centuries in traditional time-warps are now coming face-to-face with the bulldozers of the global corporate world. Parallel with this complex macro-interface is another layer of sub-national complexity with the interface of diverse cultures in the melting pot of modern Papua New Guinea. Feelings of uncertainty are probably the norm for the majority, and planning for the impact of that uncertainty is a challenge at all levels of society.http://adelaidefestivalofideas.com.a