Bilingual First Language Acquisition: Evidence from Montreal

Type of resource
Author/collaborator
Title
Bilingual First Language Acquisition: Evidence from Montreal
Abstract
The author explains that bilingual code-mixing is the use of elements (phonological, lexical, and morpho-syntactic) from two languages in the same utterance or stretch of conversation or in different situations. He points out that bilingual code-mixing is ubiquitous among bilinguals, both child and adult. He notes that child bilingual code-mixing has been interpreted by some researchers and laypersons as an indication of linguistic confusion and incompetence. The author reviews a series of studies on French-English simultaneous bilinguals from Montreal that examined their code-mixing with respect to young bilingual children’s ability: to differentiate their developing languages; to control code-mixing in different communicative situations; to adjust their code-mixing in response to feedback from interlocutors; and to fill gaps in their developing language competence. Contrary those who view child code-mixing as evidence of confusion and incompetence, the author argues that extant evidence indicates that code-mixing reflects linguistic and communicative competence even in very early stages of simultaneous bilingual acquisition.
Publication
Diversité urbaine
Volume
Hors série
Pages
9-26
Date
Automne 2008
Language
en
URL
Citation
Genesee, Fred. “Bilingual First Language Acquisition: Evidence from Montreal.” Diversité urbaine Hors série (Automne 2008): 9–26. https://www.erudit.org/en/journals/du/2008-du2547/019559ar.pdf.
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