Aging language and language typology, or why we should pay attention to cross-linguistic features when studying aging

Abstract

Studies of language and aging have generally found similar patterns across users of different languages. However, there have been a few studies that have found differences, and these merit more attention. These differences can provide insight into the ways that the experience of aging differs among users of these languages, which can be useful information for practitioners. It can also uncover underlying differences in the target languages that researchers might not otherwise recognize, which could prove useful for theoretical investigations of language as well as provide ways to better inform directions for future research into language and aging.