Bilingualism and Second Language Acquisition

Question 1

how is ‘true bilingual’ defined?

Answer 1

having native-like proficiency in two languages

Question 2

how is true bilingual defined in this case

Answer 2

someone who regularly uses two or more languages or dialects in everyday life

Question 3

what are the two different types of bilinguals?

Answer 3

• simultaneous bilinguals/bilingual first language acquisition
• sequential bilinguals

Question 4

what is the prevalence of bilinguals?

Answer 4

more than half the people in the world use two or more languages in everyday life

Question 5

what are causes of bilingualism?

Answer 5

• many countries have numerous languages e.g. 722 in India
• trade and business
• moving of peoples e.g. migration, war

Question 6

De Houwer (2009) found patterns of development in bilingual and monolingual children to be what?

Answer 6

identical

Question 7

what is Houwer’s (2005) separate language hypothesis?

Answer 7

bilinguals have a separate system for their L1 and L2 from the start

Question 8

what is lexical differentiation?

Answer 8

when children exposed to two languages have two words for the same things

Question 9

does lexical differentiation support the separate language hypothesis?

Answer 9

yes since children acquiring one language operate on the principle of mutual exclusivity

Question 10

what is phonological differentiation?

Answer 10

bilingual production without phonological confusion

Question 11

what is acquisition?

Answer 11

an automatic and unconscious process by which a skill is developed without instruction

Question 12

what is learning?

Answer 12

development of a skill as a result of a conscious process that requires instruction & information from the environment

Question 13

what is the ceiling effect?

Answer 13

the idea that it may be impossible to develop a linguistic competence in L2 at a level similar to L1

Question 14

what is a critical period?

Answer 14

irreversible loss of a skill if it is not acquired by a specified time

Question 15

what is a sensitive period?

Answer 15

abnormal development of a skill if it isn’t acquired by a biological specified time
- can be compensated or reversed

Question 16

how can we know there is a critical period for L2?

Answer 16

• learning L2 past early childhood provides mixed outcomes, and speakers usually have an accent and fail to acquire subtle aspects of the L2 grammar
• evidence from neuroimaging and MRI

Question 17

is the bilingual a mental juggler?

Answer 17

yes - both languages are active regardless of the requirement to use one alone

Question 18

does current research demonstrate both languages are active or only one at a time?

Answer 18

both are active at once regardless of the intention of requirement to use one language alone

Question 19

what suggests that bilinguals have incredible cognitive control?

Answer 19

the ability to rarely speak in the wrong language but with other similar bilinguals switch language in the middle of a sentence

Question 20

what is the consequence of parallel activity and competition across the bilinguals two languages?

Answer 20

hypothesised to create expertise that affects cognition and the brain

Question 21

Bialystok et al. (2007) found bilingualism delayed what by four years? what did this suggest?

Answer 21

the onset of AD - suggests language experience may provide protection to the brain