LangUsta

Even though the name might suggest otherwise, ‘LangUsta’ is not a delicous shellfish but instead… a Psychology of Language and Bilingualism Lab affiliated with the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. The name ‘LangUsta’ is a combination of two words – ‘lang’ a derivation of the Latin word ‘lingua’ (language) and the Polish word for lips ‘usta’. LangUsta gathers researchers as well as students interested in cognitive and neurological processes involved in the use of language. The creation of“LangUsta Lab was possible thanks to a subsidy from the Foundation for Polish Science (FOCUS programme) awarded in 2010 to Zofia Wodniecka.

The goal of our research is to better understand how people understand and produce language and, in particular, how people “juggle” more than one language in one mind if they are bi- or multilingual.

Current research suggests that certain cognitive abilities, which are not directly related to using language, are enhanced in bilinguals compared to monolinguals. Our aim is to better understand the mechanism underlying the relation as well as to explore cognitive changes taking place during acquisition of a new second language.

More information on our current research projects is available in the section PROJECTS.