Modeling Bilingual and Multilingual Lexicon and the Role of Interlanguage Transfer

The present study is aimed to investigate the issue of how a human stores and access the knowledge of two or multiple language based on three models of bilingual and multilingual mental lexicon and to discuss the characteristics of interlanguage transfer found in bilingual and multilingual speakers. These three models are the models proposed by [1, 2, 3]. The important characteristics of these three models and the issue of interlanguage transfer will be studied using documentary research method. The documents were analyzed using content analysis method. The data were analyzed in terms of language components included in the explanation, relations among language components, and interlanguage transfer. revealed and discussed. The characteristics of the selected models were discussed in terms of language components and relations among language components. In addition, the role of interlanguage transfer in the development and acquisition of second language, third language, and multiple languages will be also identified.