Studies on aging and migration often note a ‘language barrier’ for older migrants when communicating in a (medical) second language (L2) context. Yet how a limited L2 proficiency impacts the aging process of migrant adults has, so far, not been systematically investigated. This question is important given that having a limited L2 proficiency may pose immediate drawbacks on one's ability to maintain independence. Through a combination of qualitative interviews and quantitative language and cognitive measures, this study investigates if and under which circumstances a ‘language barrier’ may be detrimental for the aging process of a group of older female Turkish migrants in the Netherlands. Findings suggest that a limited L2 proficiency reciprocally fuels feelings of L2 insecurity, which impacts the formation of social relationships in the L2, feelings of belonging and lower wellbeing levels. A firm embedding in an L1 network positively impacts wellbeing levels, yet results in a heavy dependence on others in L2 situations. We conclude that limited L2 skills may steer the aging process in a detrimental direction for those older migrants who lack a social support network in the L1 and cannot communicate effectively in the L2.

Cognitive advantages for bilinguals have inconsistently been observed in different populations, with different operationalisations of bilingualism, cognitive performance, and the process by which language control transfers to cognitive control. This calls for studies investigating which aspects of multilingualism drive a cognitive advantage, in which populations and under which conditions. This study reports on two cognitive tasks coupled with an extensive background questionnaire on health, wellbeing, personality, language knowledge and language use, administered to 387 older adults in the northern Netherlands, a small but highly multilingual area. Using linear mixed effects regression modeling, we find that when different languages are used frequently in different contexts, enhanced attentional control is observed. Subsequently, a PLS regression model targeting also other influential factors yielded a two-component solution whereby only more sensitive measures of language proficiency and language usage in different social contexts were predictive of cognitive performance above and beyond the contribution of age, gender, income and education. We discuss these findings in light of previous studies that try to uncover more about the nature of bilingualism and the cognitive processes that may drive an advantage. With an unusually large sample size our study advocates for a move away from dichotomous, knowledge-based operationalisations of multilingualism and offers new insights for future studies at the individual level.

Textbooks constitute important learning tools in foreign language education and should depict ethnic and gender diversity. This article responds to calls for intersectional textbook research and addresses the following question: How diverse are representations of wo/men of colour in comparison with white wo/men in sparsely researched Dutch language textbooks? We performed content analysis of six frequently used textbooks for learning Dutch, examining pictures, texts and (audio-recorded) dialogues. Results show an underrepresentation of People of Colour (PoC) in comparison with demographic statistics. In contrast with white wo/men, PoC are featured in a limited range of low-status roles (e.g. migrant), except for in one textbook. Countries and cities are Eurocentric and Netherlands-centric, there is little variety in terms of accented speech in dialogues, and non-native speakers utter sentences that frame them as dependent. These findings build on the body of (Anglocentric) textbook research from a cultural studies’ perspective, help determine the degree to which educational materials meet diversity demands in language education policies, and what alternative ‘realities’ could arise.

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Een groeiende groep migranten wordt oud in een omgeving waar de dominante taal (T2) verschilt van hun moedertaal (T1). Deze studie bekijkt in hoeverre er een taalbarrière bestaat bij het verkrijgen van informatie over en toegang tot (zorg)voorzieningen, en wanneer een beperkte T2 taalvaardigheid een belemmering vormt voor het welbevinden van een groep oudere Turkse vrouwen in Nederland. Interviews met 39 oudere Turkse vrouwen laten zien dat een beperkte T2 vaardigheid niet automatisch leidt tot een verminderd welbevinden. Wanneer men goed is ingebed in een sociaal netwerk (en zich daarmee verbonden voelen) kan een beperkte T2 vaardigheid worden opgevangen door T1 hulp in de omgeving of het faciliteren van een tolk in T2 situaties. Echter, wanneer zo’n netwerk niet beschikbaar is, kunnen T2 situaties voor angst en stress zorgen, wat zijn weerslag heeft op iemands welbevinden. Ondanks dat er geen een-op-een relatie tussen taal en welbevinden bestaat, speelt taal wel een rol in veel (sociale) processen die het welbevinden beïnvloeden. Dit artikel is een ingekorte en vertaalde versie van een eerder gepubliceerd artikel in The International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism op 8 februari 2018, online beschikbaar. https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2018.1435627 A growing group of migrants age in an environment in which the dominant language (L2) differs from their mother tongue (L1). This study considers the occurrence of a language barrier in accessing (information on) health and healthcare provisions, and under which circumstances a limited proficiency in the L2 negatively influences well-being for a group of older Turkish women in the Netherlands. Data from interviews with 39 Turkish females reveal that a limited L2 proficiency does not automatically result in a lower level of well-being. When individuals are well-embedded in a social network (and feel belonging to it), a limited L2 proficiency can be alleviated by either L1 assistance from their environment or by facilitating an interpreter in L2 situations. However, when such a network is absent, L2 situations can cause anxiety, which may have repercussions for well-being. Even though there is no clear one-on-one relationship between language and well-being, language does play a role in many (social) processes that influence well-being.