This article is a critical synthesis of the work which has been done in the
field of bilingualism and calculation. The theoretical frameworks dealing
with the question of the possible influence of the format or of the languag
e on the retrieval of arithmetical facts are described. The results of the
research are discussed in detail by examining the possible alternative inte
rpretations. Encoding and production processes, as well as the possible inf
luence of shea-term memory (which may vary according to the subject's langu
age), are the main considerations.