Bilingual children’s comprehension of code-switching at an uninformative adjective

Abstract

Bilingual children hear sentences that contain words from both languages, also known as code-switching. Investigating how bilinguals process code-switching is a crucial component in understanding bilingual language acquisition, because young bilinguals experience processing costs and reduced comprehension when encountering code-switched nouns. Studies have yet to investigate if processing costs are present when children encounter code-switches at other parts of speech within a sentence. The current study examined how 30 young bilinguals (age range: 37 – 48 months) process sentences with code-switches at an uninformative adjective before the target noun (e.g., “Can you find le bon [the good] duck?) compared to single-language sentences (e.g., “Can you find the good duck?”). Surprisingly, bilingual children accurately identified the target object in both sentence types, contrasting with previous findings that sentences containing code-switching lead to processing difficulties. The functional information a code-switch carries may contribute to bilingual children’s sentence processing.

Patterns of language switching and bilingual children’s word learning: An experiment across two communities.

“…Please see the online supplemental materials for the detailed analysis. 2020), our findings are in line with studies showing that language switching does not hinder but could support language learning (Bail et al, 2015 ;De Houwer, 2007;Kremin et al, 2021;Orena & Polka, 2019). Our study was novel in using an online tablet touchscreen task, and our findings are congruent with results using bilingual book reading methods.…”

“…Children’s successful performance in this experiment suggests that their word learning is supported in environments that include regular language switching. Contrary to studies reporting that language switching is associated with less successful word learning for bilingual children (Byers-Heinlein, 2013; Carbajal & Peperkamp, 2020), our findings are in line with studies showing that language switching does not hinder but could support language learning (Bail et al, 2015 ; De Houwer, 2007; Kremin et al, 2021; Orena & Polka, 2019). Our study was novel in using an online tablet touchscreen task, and our findings are congruent with results using bilingual book reading methods.…”

“…Moreover, language switching does not necessarily cause a processing cost. For example, in one study, bilingual children could similarly identify target nouns in single-language sentences and in sentences with several switched words (Kremin et al, 2021). Finally, there is evidence from home language recordings that bilingual caregivers may code-switch in a way that aims to support their children’s learning (Kremin et al, 2022).…”

Patterns of language switching and bilingual children’s word learning: An experiment across two communities

“…showing that language switching does not hinder but could support language learning (Bail, 2015;De Houwer, 2007;Kremin et al, 2021b;Orena & Pola, 2019). Our study was novel in using an online tablet touchscreen task, and our findings are congruent with results using bilingual book reading methods.…”

“…Moreover, language switching does not necessarily cause a processing cost. For example, in one study, bilingual children could similarly identify target nouns in single-language sentences and in sentences with several switched words (Kremin et al, 2021b). Finally, there is evidence from home language recordings that bilingual caregivers may code-switch in a way that aims to support their children's learning (Kremin et al, 2021a).…”