It has been suggested that the parents of heritage speakers (2nd generation immigrants), who are the main source of input to them, may exhibit first-language (L1) attrition in their language, thereby directly transmitting different structural properties or “errors” to the heritage speakers. Given the state of current knowledge of inconsistent input in L1 acquisition, age of acquisition effects in bilingualism, and how long it takes children to master different properties of their native language, it is highly unlikely that immigrant parents are directly transmitting patterns of language attrition to their heritage language children. The argument advanced in this article is that if the patterns evident in heritage speakers and first-generation immigrants are related, reverse transmission may be at play instead, when the heritage speakers might be influencing the language of the parents rather than the other way around. Theoretical and empirical evidence for this proposal may explain the emergence of the variety of Spanish spoken in the United States.

Schizophrenia impacts several cognitive systems including language. Linguistic symptoms of schizophrenia are important to understand due to the crucial role that language plays in the diagnostic and treatment process. However, the literature is heavily based on monolingual-centric research. Multilinguals demonstrate differences from monolinguals in language cognition. When someone with schizophrenia is multilingual, how do these differences interact with their symptoms? To address this question, we conducted a pre-registered PRISMA-SR scoping review to determine themes in the literature and identify gaps for future research. Four hundred and twenty records were identified from three databases in 2023. Thirty articles were included in the synthesis. We found three emergent themes: (1) the need for multilingual treatment options, (2) differences in symptomology between the L1 and L2, and (3) the impact of cultural factors on linguistic functioning. Thus, several avenues of research regarding multilingualism may be fruitful for improving linguistic and social outcomes in schizophrenia.