“When you have an experience, the language you are using becomes associated with it. For bilingual people, this means certain memories are more closely linked to one language than the other—a phenomenon called language-dependent memory. For instance, a childhood memory is more likely to be remembered when the language spoken during that childhood event is spoken again. Just as listening to nostalgic music can transport you back to a specific period of your life, the language you are using in the moment acts as a hook to draw associated memories closer to the surface. Memories will also often be more emotional when there is a match between the language spoken when the experience took place and the language spoken when remembering it.
- The Surprising Power of Language Over Memory and Choice
