<P> However, evidence from a research study shows that bilinguals have a faster reaction time in most working memory tasks . While a lot of research asserts that monolingual children outperform bilingual children, other research asserts the opposite . Research by Bialystok et al., as reported by Kapa and Colombo (2013, p. 233) shows that bilingual individuals perform better than monolingual individuals on a wide variety of cognitive tests, thus demonstrating cognitive control advantages . Two different concepts, attentional inhibition and attentional monitoring, are used to measure attentional control . In terms of attentional control, early bilingual learners showed the greatest advantage, compared to monolingual speakers and late bilingual speakers . In terms of overall performance on ATN, the three groups performed equally, but when age and verbal ability variables were controlled, there was a difference in reaction time . The early bilingual children's reaction time was tremendously faster than the monolingual children, and only slightly faster than the late bilingual children (Kapa & Colombo, 2013). Early bilingual learners showed that they simply responded most efficiently to the task at hand . The results from this study demonstrate the advantages bilingual children have with attentional control . This is likely because bilingual children are used to balancing more than one language at time, and are therefore used to focusing on which language is necessary at a certain time . By constantly being aware of what language to use and being able to successfully switch between languages, it makes sense that bilingual children would be better at directing and focusing their attention . </P> <P> A 2012 study by the University of York published in Child Development journal reviewed the effects of the development of a child's verbal and non-verbal language, matched between monolinguals and bilinguals in a particular language . Researchers compared about 100 6 - year - old monolingual and bilingual children (monolingual in English; bilingual in English and Mandarin, bilingual in French and English, bilingual in Spanish and English), to test their verbal and non-verbal communication cognitive development . The research takes into consideration factors like the similarity of the language, the cultural background and education experience . These students mostly come from public schools from various areas, having similar social and economic background . </P> <P> Results show that in the child's early stage, multilingual kids are very different from one another in their language and cognitive skills development, and also when compared to monolingual children . When compared to monolinguals, multilingual children are slower in building up their vocabulary in every language . However, their metalinguistic development allowed them to understand better the structure of the language . They also performed better in non-verbal control tests . A non-verbal control test refers to the ability to focus and then able to divert their attention when being instructed to . </P> <P> According to the convergence principle, language style tends to change to that of people who are liked and admired . Conversations in which one party speaks a language different from the other persons both are hard to maintain and have reduced intimacy . Thus, speech is usually adapted and accommodated for convenience, lack of misunderstanding and conflict and the maintenance of intimacy . In intermarriages, one partner tends to become monolingual, which also usually applies to the children . </P>

How does language use differ between monolingual and multi-lingual societies