THE IMPACT OF EARLY SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING ON THE NATIVE LANGUAGE: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ENGLISH AND UZBEK

Abstract

This article investigates how early second language (L2) learning influences the development and use of the native language (L1), comparing English-speaking and Uzbek-speaking learners. Drawing on contrastive linguistics and SLA theories such as the Critical Period Hypothesis, transfer theory, and interdependence hypothesis, the study analyzes linguistic, cognitive, and sociocultural outcomes. Data were collected through comparative classroom observations, language proficiency tests, and interviews with young learners aged 6–10 in bilingual settings. Findings reveal that while early exposure to an L2 promotes metalinguistic awareness and accelerates cognitive flexibility, it also leads to observable L1 attrition in vocabulary range, syntax complexity, and code-switching frequency—especially in Uzbek children immersed in English. Conversely, English-speaking children learning Uzbek displayed slower acquisition rates, yet their L1 remained largely unaffected due to the global dominance of English. These results highlight asymmetrical impacts of early bilingualism shaped by sociolinguistic context.