Lexical choice and language selection in bilingual preschoolers

Abstract

This study examined single-word code-mixing produced by bilingual preschoolers in order to better understand lexical choice patterns in each language. Analysis included item-level code-mixed responses of 606 five-year-old children. Per parent report, children were separated by language dominance based on language exposure and use. Children were assigned to a no-risk or at-risk for language impairment group based on individual performance from an English–Spanish screening battery. Data analysis compared the prevalence, frequency, and accuracy of code-mixed responses on expressive semantic items across participants’ language dominance and risk status. Language dominance and risk status impacted children’s code-mixing patterns. The correct number of code-mixed responses on the English screener was influenced by risk status, whereas language dominance determined the number of correct code-mixed answers on the Spanish screener. Lexical choice and language selection depend on linguistic knowledge and skill. During this emergent stage of bilingualism, preschoolers demonstrate the use of code-mixing as a compensatory strategy to fill lexical gaps. Consistent with previous studies, findings indicate that code-mixing necessitates linguistic competence in more than one language.

“¿Cómo estas?” “I’m good.” Conversational code-switching is related to profiles of expressive and receptive proficiency in Spanish-English bilingual toddlers

“…Some children code-switched in both directions, but among those children who only switched in one direction, nearly twice as many switched to English when addressed in Spanish as vice versa. This finding is consistent with other studies of Spanish-English bilingual children which find that children more frequently choose to speak English than Spanish (Oller & Eilers, 2002) and more frequently code-switch to English than to Spanish (Greene et al, 2012; Gutiérrez-Clellen et al, 2009). …”

“…Children choose to speak the language they know better. Some findings do suggest that young bilinguals code-switch to compensate for gaps in their language knowledge (Greene et al, 2012). In addition, dominance or proficiency may interact with social prestige in influencing language choice.…”

Conceptual Scoring and Classification Accuracy of Vocabulary Testing in Bilingual Children

“…To achieve their communication goals and to convey concepts, bilinguals will make use of their vocabulary resources in both languages by sometimes switching between their two languages at the single-word level (i.e., code-mix) or at the conversational or narrative level (i.e., code-switch; Greene, Peña, & Bedore, 2013). Conceptual scores can be gathered from analyzing a child's responses during spontaneous and elicited code-mixing.…”

“…Results from some studies suggest that switching into the weaker language presents more challenges than switching into the stronger language because dominant language suppression requires more cognitive resources (Bialystok, Craik, & Luk, 2008;Kroll, Bobb, Misra, & Guo, 2008;Misra, Guo, Bobb, & Kroll, 2012). For example, Greene et al (2013) found that only about half of bilingual preschool-age children code-mixed spontaneously when responding to expressive semantics items on an EnglishSpanish language screening measure. Of those who codemixed, only a small minority (7%) code-mixed in both directions.…”

Bilingual children’s use of lexical strategies under narrative monologue and dialogue conditions

“…Bilingual speakers routinely code-mix or alternate between their two languages as a strategic option due to lexical uncertainty. One study in particular highlights English- and Spanish-speaking preschoolers’ code-mixing patterns on test items from a bilingual semantic screener (Greene et al , 2013). Participants exhibited similar code-mixing patterns yet the low language performers committed more naming errors than their high performing peers.…”