On the Acquisition of French (Null) Subjects and (In)Definiteness: Simultaneous and Early Sequential bi-, tri- and Multilinguals

Abstract

The French non-null-subject parameter is set very early, irrespective of the number of languages acquired. By contrast, the acquisition of (in)definiteness marking takes place at age 11;0. For early parametrized grammatical phenomena, Tsimpli (Tsimpli, Ianthi Maria. 2014. Early, late or very late? Timing acquisition and bilingualism. Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism 4(3). 283–313.) argues that age of onset (AoO) matters. For late acquired phenomena, language experience is crucial. We recruited 23 simultaneous and 34 early sequential L2 (eL2) learners of French (mean age 4;6). Using an elicitation task, we examined the production of French subjects and (in)definite articles. All children behaved similarly with respect to the (early) setting of the null-subject parameter. In contrast, (in)definite marking was sensitive to number of languages and age; AoO or input effects did not affect the results. Simultaneous multilinguals diverge from eL2 children, showing subject spell-out preferences, interpreted in terms of acquisition phases. We will discuss this result against a model of language acquisition in which the child proceeds in acquisition stages.

AAiMLL: Acquisition Advantages in MultiLingual Learners: The Case of the Multilingual Child

“…Summarizing previous research: the acceleration effect for French subject realizations is discernable in multilingual children with more than two languages (Arnaus Gil et al 2021;Scalise et al 2021), with an unbalanced language use (Silva Colaço et al 2023), with a 'weak' language other than French (Silva Colaço et al 2023), and if exposed to French only at kindergarten (Arnaus age. In A AiM LL (Acquisition Advantages in MultiLingual Learners), acceleration would even be predicted, since the benefit which comes from the child's language other than French is expected, as long as the child has successfully reached other less-marked (when compared to French) languages in the hierarchy, like Basque or Italian.…”

“…We have first indications that kindergarten age does not prevent the acceleration effect from occurring (Arnaus Gil et al 2021)-based for the moment on a very small number of individuals (N = 34). These multilingual children have arguably reached the threshold necessary for acceleration.…”

“…These multilingual children have arguably reached the threshold necessary for acceleration. The children analyzed in the study by Arnaus Gil et al (2021) all acquired French in Spain or Germany, where French is a highly prestigious language (as is English). If parents send their children to a French kindergarten, they can be assumed to be in favor of multilingualism, but also in favor of their children learning French, due to better opportunities, etc.…”

Preposition Stranding in Spanish–English Code-Switching

“…Age of acquisition (AoA) is just one of many variables that has been used to better understand within-group differences for heritage language speakers. Essentially, researchers can look at whether the point at which an individual is exposed to the dominant societal language results in different linguistic outcomes for a given grammatical property (Arnaus Gil et al 2021;Schulz and Grimm 2019;Tsimpli 2014). Although the specific age range varies throughout the literature, the term simultaneous bilingual is commonly used for an individual who is exposed to both languages from birth (or a very early age) while the term sequential bilingual refers to someone "who first acquired one language, then a second language after the rudiments of the first language were established" (Montrul 2008, p. 94).…”