Are translation equivalents special? Evidence from simulations and empirical data from bilingual infants

Mapping Intimacies ◽

10.31234/osf.io/h4jxe ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Rachel Ka Ying Tsui ◽

Ana Maria Gonzalez-Barrero ◽

Esther Schott ◽

Krista Byers-Heinlein

Keyword(s):

Computational Model ◽

Word Learning ◽

Learning Process ◽

Empirical Data ◽

Vocabulary Development ◽

Bilingual Children ◽

Close Match ◽

Translation Equivalent ◽

English Bilingual ◽

Model Predictions

The acquisition of translation equivalents is often considered a special component of bilingual children’s vocabulary development, as bilinguals have to learn words that share the same meaning across their two languages. This study examined three contrasting accounts for bilingual children’s acquisition of translation equivalents relative to words that are first labels for a referent: the Avoidance Account whereby translation equivalents are harder to learn, the Preference Account whereby translation equivalents are easier to learn, and the Neutral Account whereby translation equivalents are similar to learn. To adjudicate between these accounts, Study 1 explored patterns of translation equivalent learning under a novel computational model — the Bilingual Vocabulary Model — which quantifies translation equivalent knowledge as a function of the probability of learning words in each language. Study 2 tested model-derived predictions against vocabulary data from 200 French–English bilingual children aged 18–33 months. Results showed a close match between the model predictions and bilingual children’s patterns of translation equivalent learning. At smaller vocabulary sizes, data matched the Preference Account, while at larger vocabulary sizes they matched the Neutral Account. Our findings show that patterns of translation equivalent learning emerge predictably from the word learning process, and reveal a qualitative shift in translation equivalent learning as bilingual children develop and learn more words.

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Do Bilinguals Acquire Similar Words to Monolinguals? An Examination of Word Acquisition and the Similarity Effect in Japanese–English Bilinguals’ Vocabularies

European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education ◽

10.3390/ejihpe11010014 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 168-182

Author(s):

Aya Kutsuki

Keyword(s):

Vocabulary Acquisition ◽

Vocabulary Development ◽

The Other ◽

Bilingual Children ◽

Word Category ◽

Word Acquisition ◽

English Bilingual ◽

Similarity Effect ◽

Japanese English

Previous research has paid much attention to the overall acquisition of vocabularies among bilingual children in comparison to their monolingual counterparts. Much less attention has been paid to the type of words acquired and the possible transfer or cross-linguistic effects of the other language on vocabulary development. Thus, this study aims to explore similarities and dissimilarities in the vocabularies of simultaneous bilinguals and Japanese monolinguals and considers the possible cross-linguistic similarity effect on word acquisition. Six simultaneous Japanese–English bilingual children (mean age = 34.75 months (2.56)) were language–age-matched with six Japanese monolinguals; their productive vocabularies were compared regarding size and categories. Additionally, characteristic acquired words were compared using correspondence analyses. Results showed that, although delayed due to the reduced inputs, young bilinguals have a similar set of vocabularies in terms of word category as monolinguals. However, bilingual children’s vocabularies reflect their unevenly distributed experience with the language. Fewer interactive experiences with language speakers may result in a lower acquisition of interactive words. Furthermore, there is a cross-linguistic effect on acquisition, likely caused by form similarity between Japanese katakana words and English words. Even between languages with great dissimilarities, resources and cues are sought and used to facilitate bilingual vocabulary acquisition.

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Effect of speaker certainty on novel word learning in monolingual and bilingual children

Bilingualism Language and Cognition ◽

10.1017/s1366728918000536 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 22 (04) ◽

pp. 883-895 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

MILIJANA BUAC ◽

AURÉLIE TAUZIN-LARCHÉ ◽

EMILY WEISBERG ◽

MARGARITA KAUSHANSKAYA

Keyword(s):

Word Learning ◽

Learning Performance ◽

Bilingual Children ◽

Group Differences ◽

Language Experience ◽

English Bilingual ◽

English Speaking ◽

Novel Word Learning ◽

Linguistic Backgrounds ◽

Novel Words

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.

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Vocabulary Development and Phonological Short-Term Memory in Korean-English Bilingual Children and English Monolingual Children

Bilingual Research ◽

10.17296/korbil.2012..50.329 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol null (50) ◽

pp. 329-352 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Hwang Bo-Myung

Keyword(s):

Short Term Memory ◽

Vocabulary Development ◽

Bilingual Children ◽

Short Term ◽

Term Memory ◽

English Bilingual ◽

English Monolingual

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Bilingual’s Advantages of not Using Mutual Exclusivity

Journal of Contemporary Educational Research ◽

10.26689/jcer.v5i2.1830 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Shuai Zheng

Keyword(s):

Word Learning ◽

Learning Process ◽

Bilingual Children ◽

Mutual Exclusivity

It is a known fact that monolingual children will take advantage of the principle of mutual exclusivity (ME) in the process of early word learning, i.e., the names of two different objects are mutually exclusive (one label for one referent). With the help of ME, they can expand their vocabulary effectively with a rapid speed. However, for bilingual children, it seems this principle is not that friendly to them, since they are exposed to two languages at the same time, so there could be at least two labels for the same referent. Hence bilingual children may be confused and encounter difficulties in learning words, which will slower their word learning process. This paper tries to, based on earlier research, probe into the question that how bilingual children acquire words without the help of ME, and explore whether there are advantages of not using ME in word learning for bilingual children.

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Language Comprehension in Monolingual and Bilingual Children

10.31234/osf.io/9zer8 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Krista Byers-Heinlein ◽

Casey Lew-Williams

Keyword(s):

Real Time ◽

Word Learning ◽

Language Comprehension ◽

School Success ◽

Vocabulary Development ◽

Speech Segmentation ◽

Bilingual Children ◽

Infants And Toddlers ◽

Phonetic Perception

Infants and toddlers grow up in a variety of language environments—for example, some are monolingual and some are bilingual—but nearly all children develop the ability to understand the language(s) around them. In this chapter, we trace children's path to language comprehension, from listening in infancy, to phonetic perception, speech segmentation, word learning, vocabulary development, and finally understanding language in real time. For both monolinguals and bilinguals, developing fluency in language comprehension in infancy and toddlerhood sets the stage for later language and school success.

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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.

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Measuring Word Learning Ability in Sequential Bilingual Children

Perspectives on Communication Disorders and Sciences in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations ◽

10.1044/cds17.1.25 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 25-32 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Pui Fong Kan

Keyword(s):

Word Learning ◽

Learning Ability ◽

Bilingual Children ◽

Word Knowledge ◽

Typically Developing ◽

Learning Skills ◽

Word Forms ◽

The Individual ◽

Novel Word Learning ◽

L1 And L2

Abstract The purpose of this article is to look at the word learning skills in sequential bilingual children—children who learn two languages (L1 and L2) at different times in their childhood. Learning a new word is a process of learning a word form and relating this form to a concept. For bilingual children, each concept might need to map onto two word forms (in L1 and in L2). In case studies, I present 3 typically developing Hmong-English bilingual preschoolers' word learning skills in Hmong (L1) and in English (L2) during an 8-week period (4 weeks for each language). The results showed gains in novel-word knowledge in L1 and in L2 when the amount of input is equal for both languages. The individual differences in novel word learning are discussed.

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