Week 10 - Bilingualism and dialect

Question 1

Theoretical issues

Answer 1

• Children differentiate languages by 2 or they’re separate from the start
• Mutual exclusivity irrelevant because babies learn two words for everything eg. Gato and Cat

Question 2

Bilingual children

Answer 2

• Discriminate more slowly than monolinguals
• Over time they mix less language
• Better at problem solving
• Later at rapid word learning

Question 3

Heritage language

Answer 3

When a child is raised in a non-minority language home they are a heritage speaker of the language if proficient

Question 4

Attrition

Example

Answer 4

Losing ability to speak a language

Polinsky 2006

Russian children moved to America and ability declined, reduced variety of Russian used

Question 5

Bilingual teens study

Name
Year
Method
Results

Answer 5

Lee 2016

• In Welsh medium school and english medium school
• Matched guise test
• Welsh school felt more Welsh, those who spoke language more Welsh

Question 6

What does learning more than one language do?

Answer 6

• Supports wider cognitive skills in childhood and throughout adulthood (Bialystok 1999, 2004)