THE LINGUISTIC BRIDGE: A CRITICAL REVIEW OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE ACQUISITION IN A HYPER-CONNECTED GLOBAL ERA

Authors

  • Dr Saloni Jain, Assistant Teacher, Samarkand state medical university, Uzbekistan
  • Mohd Fareed Khan Medical Student, Samarkand state medical university, Uzbekistan

Keywords:

Foreign Language Acquisition, Globalization and Language, Multilingualism, Intercultural Communication, Linguistic Globalism, Cognitive Linguistics, Executive Function Plasticity, Sociolinguistics, Language and Identity, Cultural Intelligence, Intercultural Empathy

Abstract

This review examines the shifting ontology of foreign language acquisition within the context of 21st-century globalization. Moving beyond the traditional "economic utility" model, this paper argues that multilingualism serves as a vital cognitive and social lubricant that prevents the homogenization of human thought. By synthesizing contemporary research in sociolinguistics and neurobiology, the article explores how foreign languages function as tools for "intercultural empathy"—a necessity for navigating the geopolitical and digital complexities of our era.

References

Piller, I. (2025). Linguistic Diversity and Social Justice. Oxford University Press. (Explores the ethical dimensions of language power).

2. Bialystok, E. (2024). Cognitive Resiliency in the Multilingual Mind. Nature Reviews Neuroscience.

3. Heller, M., & McElhinny, B. (2023). Language, Capitalism, Colonialism. University of Toronto Press. (A critical look at the economic history of language).

4. Cenoz, J., & Gorter, D. (2022). Pedagogical Translanguaging. Cambridge University Press. (Explores translanguaging as a modern communicative practice.)

5. De Houwer, A. (2023). Bilingual Development and Language Socialization. Cambridge University Press. (Focuses on cognitive and social aspects of bilingualism.)

6. Grosjean, F. (2023). The Mystery of the Bilingual Mind. Harvard University Press.

(Classic updated perspective on bilingual cognition.)

7. Ortega, L. (2022). The Study of Second Language Acquisition. Routledge.

(Widely cited foundational and contemporary SLA framework.)

8. Li Wei. (2023). Translanguaging as a Practical Theory of Language. Applied Linguistics, 44(1), 1–20. (Important theoretical advancement in multilingual communication.)

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Published

2026-04-12

How to Cite

THE LINGUISTIC BRIDGE: A CRITICAL REVIEW OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE ACQUISITION IN A HYPER-CONNECTED GLOBAL ERA. (2026). SYNAPSES: INSIGHTS ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES, 3(4), 226-229. https://universalpublishings.com/index.php/siad/article/view/17717