ABSTRACT
Language attrition is associated with weakening or loss of a language in healthy multilingual speakers and represents the dynamic nature of language processing and language interaction. Research on bilingual language processing demonstrates that language use and language contact contribute differently toward language maintenance in these individuals. When language attrition occurs within the lifespan of a multilingual individual, it is linked to the weakening of a language, but this phenomenon can transcend across generations of multilingual speakers. Language attrition across generations leads to decline in use of a language within a community where it used to be dominant and ultimately to its death. Attrition of languages, especially across societies, leads to endangerment of linguistic variety and reduction in linguistic diversity and has even been linked to reduction in biodiversity. This chapter will explore current research in language attrition with a focus on its underlying mechanisms and its impact on multilingual individuals and on multilingual societies.
