Effects of past language experience and present language context on the shape bias in Spanish–English bilingual children

In the present study, we examined the effect of speaker certainty on word-learning performance in English-speaking monolingual (MAge = 6.40) and Spanish–English bilingual (MAge = 6.58) children. No group differences were observed when children learned novel words from a certain speaker. However, bilingual children were more willing to learn novel words from an uncertain speaker than their monolingual peers. These findings indicate that language experience influences how children weigh cues to speaker credibility during learning and suggest that children with more diverse linguistic backgrounds (i.e., bilinguals) are less prone to prioritizing information based on speaker certainty.

Download Full-text

Semantic Development in Spanish-English Bilingual Children: Effects of Age and Language Experience

Child Development ◽

10.1111/cdev.12015 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 84 (3) ◽

pp. 1034-1045 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Li Sheng ◽

Lisa M. Bedore ◽

Elizabeth D. Peña ◽

Christine Fiestas

Keyword(s):

Bilingual Children ◽

Language Experience ◽

English Bilingual ◽

Semantic Development

Download Full-text

Inter-sentential Code-switching and Language Dominance in Cantonese–English Bilingual Children

Journal of Monolingual and Bilingual Speech ◽

10.1558/jmbs.13308 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 73-105

Author(s):

Chit Fung Lam ◽

Stephen Matthews

Keyword(s):

Code Switching ◽

Bilingual Children ◽

Dominant Language ◽

Language Dominance ◽

English Bilingual ◽

Hong Kong Cantonese ◽

Measurement Variance ◽

Language Context ◽

The Relationship ◽

Gradient Measurement

This paper examines the relationship between language dominance and the under-investigated topic of inter-sentential code-switching in Hong Kong Cantonese–English bilingual children. Longitudinal data for six children showing different dominance patterns were analysed. MLU differentials (Yip & Matthews, 2006) were adopted to measure dominance based on five criteria: methodological compatibility, typological comparability, gradient measurement, variance validity, and multifaceted compatibility. Our results showed that bilingual children produced more inter-sentential code-switching in the context of their non-dominant language and less in their dominant-language context. We account for this asymmetry in relation to mechanisms of inhibitory control (Gross & Kaushanskaya, 2015). Further, we propose that intrasentential and inter-sentential code-switching each have a different status in bilingual children’s developing grammar, underlining the methodological importance of separating the two constructs in future investigations. We also suggest that, in societies where intra-sentential code-switching is a social norm, inter-sentential code-switching could serve as signs of early bilinguals’ dominance status.

Download Full-text

Onset Age of Language Acquisition Effects in a Foreign Language Context: Evidence from Chinese–English Bilingual Children

Journal of Psycholinguistic Research ◽

10.1007/s10936-019-09637-y ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Jin Xue ◽

Xiaolan Hu ◽

Rong Yan ◽

Hong Wang ◽

Xi Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Language Acquisition ◽

Foreign Language ◽

Bilingual Children ◽

Onset Age ◽

English Bilingual ◽

Language Context

Download Full-text

Relative language exposure, processing efficiency and vocabulary in Spanish–English bilingual toddlers

Bilingualism Language and Cognition ◽

10.1017/s136672891300014x ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 189-202 ◽

Cited By ~ 43

Author(s):

NEREYDA HURTADO ◽

THERES GRÜTER ◽

VIRGINIA A. MARCHMAN ◽

ANNE FERNALD

Keyword(s):

Language Learning ◽

Real Time ◽

Language Processing ◽

Receptive Vocabulary ◽

Cognitive Outcomes ◽

Bilingual Children ◽

Language Experience ◽

Vocabulary Size ◽

Processing Efficiency ◽

English Bilingual

Research with monolingual children has shown that early efficiency in real-time word recognition predicts later language and cognitive outcomes. In parallel research with young bilingual children, processing ability and vocabulary size are closely related within each language, although not across the two languages. For children in dual-language environments, one source of variation in patterns of language learning is differences in the degree to which they are exposed to each of their languages. In a longitudinal study of Spanish/English bilingual children observed at 30 and 36 months, we asked whether the relative amount of exposure to Spanish vs. English in daily interactions predicts children's relative efficiency in real-time language processing in each language. Moreover, to what extent does early exposure and speed of lexical comprehension predict later expressive and receptive vocabulary outcomes in Spanish vs. English? Results suggest that processing skill and language experience each promote vocabulary development, but also that experience with a particular language provides opportunities for practice in real-time comprehension in that language, sharpening processing skills that are critical for learning.

Download Full-text

Constructively combining languages

Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism ◽

10.1075/lab.17008.qui ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 393-409 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Antje Endesfelder Quick ◽

Elena Lieven ◽

Ad Backus ◽

Michael Tomasello

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Language Development ◽

Bilingual Children ◽

Language Preference ◽

Type Analysis ◽

Objective Measurements ◽

English Bilingual ◽

Construction Type ◽

Language Context ◽

Mean Length Of Utterance

Abstract Language development in bilingual children is often related to differing levels of proficiency. Objective measurements of bilingual development include for example mean length of utterance (MLU). MLU is almost always calculated for each language context (including both monolingual and code-mixed utterances). In the current study, we analyzed the MLUs of three German-English bilingual children, aged 2;3–3;11 separately for the monolingual and code-mixed utterances. Our results showed that language preference was reflected in MLU values: the more children spoke in one language the higher the MLU was in that language. However, it was the mixed utterances that had the highest MLU for all three children. We support the results with a construction type analysis and suggest a potential usage-based explanation for these results based on individual differences in each child’s developmental inventory of words and constructions.

Download Full-text

An Introductory Examination of Speech Disfluencies in Spanish–English Bilingual Children Who Do and Do Not Stutter During Narratives

Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups ◽

10.1044/2019_persp-19-00040 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 131-141

Author(s):

Cristina Rincon ◽

Kia Noelle Johnson ◽

Courtney Byrd

Keyword(s):

Diagnostic Criteria ◽

Preliminary Data ◽

Diagnostic Information ◽

English Speakers ◽

Bilingual Children ◽

English Bilingual ◽

Developmental Stuttering ◽

Mean Length Of Utterance

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the frequency and type of speech disfluencies (stuttering-like and nonstuttering-like) in bilingual Spanish–English (SE) children who stutter (CWS) to SE children who do not stutter (CWNS) during narrative samples elicited in Spanish and English to provide further diagnostic information for this population and preliminary data toward an expansion of this study. Method Participants included six bilingual SE children (three CWS, three CWNS) ranging in age from 5 years to 7;5 (years;months) and recruited from the surrounding Houston, Texas area. Participants provided a narrative sample in English and Spanish. The frequency of speech disfluencies was tabulated, and mean length of utterance was measured for each sample. Results Results indicate that both talker groups exceed the diagnostic criteria typically used for developmental stuttering. Regardless of the language being spoken, CWS participants had a frequency of stuttering-like speech disfluencies that met or exceeded the diagnostic criteria for developmental stuttering that is based on monolingual English speakers. The CWNS participants varied in meeting the criteria depending on the language being spoken, with one of the three CWNS exceeding the criteria in both languages and one exceeding the criteria for percentage of stuttering-like speech disfluencies in one language. Conclusion Findings from this study contribute to the development of more appropriate diagnostic criteria for bilingual SE-speaking children to aid in the reduction of misdiagnoses of stuttering in this population.

Download Full-text