Bringing together second language acquisition and aphasiology to understand language (re-)learning: An example of morphology.

The article focuses on exploring the parallels between second language acquisition (SLA) and aphasiology to enhance understanding of language (re-)learning, using morphology as a case example. It reviews how SLA research on adult learners’ challenges with inflectional morphology and morphological processing can inform aphasia rehabilitation, given that persons with aphasia (PWA) experience language impairments often linked to retrieval deficits following brain injury. The discussion highlights key distinctions between SLA and aphasia populations, including neurocognitive status and language representation, and emphasizes additional factors critical to bridging these fields: bilingualism/multilingualism, individual cognitive differences (such as working memory and executive function), and the influence of the language studied, noting the predominance of English in aphasia research limits generalizability. The authors advocate for increased interdisciplinary collaboration and convergence research to develop more nuanced theories and effective rehabilitation approaches for both monolingual and bilingual individuals with language impairments.