First language loss effect on bilingual autobiographical memory: examining memory phenomenology

Abstract In the context of globalization and migration, individuals may experience language loss or first language (L1) attrition. While migrant language loss is well documented and researched, its impact on bilingual autobiographical memory remains underexplored. Existing research indicates that bilingual speakers encode memories in either their L1 or second language (L2), depending on the language context of the event. Language’s pivotal role in autobiographical memory has also been confirmed by bilingual psychotherapy research. This paper investigates whether L1 attrition can impair memories encoded in that language. Focusing on Russian-English speakers with various degrees of L1 attrition, this study examines the phenomenological characteristics of memories (vividness, emotional valence, accessibility, significance, and confidence in the event). Results from partial correlation and linear regression analyses demonstrated that language loss significantly compromises vividness and confidence, underscoring language’s integral function in maintaining bilingual autobiographical memory.