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ERIC Number: EJ883644
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010-May
Pages: 26
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1367-0050
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Thinking for Speaking and Cross-Linguistic Transfer in Preschool Bilingual Children
Nicoladis, Elena; Rose, Alyssa; Foursha-Stevenson, Cassandra
International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, v13 n3 p345-370 May 2010
Bilingual children sometimes produce constructions influenced by their other language (cross-linguistic transfer). Transfer can often be predicted by the existence of overlapping and ambiguous constructions in both languages. In this paper, we investigate whether cross-linguistic transfer occurs when overlapping constructions exist, but there are cross-linguistic differences in conceptualization between languages. In Study 1, French-English bilingual and monolingual preschoolers named moving figures. In French, we expected the names to be in the form noun-qui-verb (e.g. "vache qui danse"; the relative clause is optional) and in English verb-ing-noun (e.g. "dancing cow"), although alternative, overlapping constructions exist (e.g. "vache dansante"; "cow that is dancing"). The results revealed little evidence of transfer and higher rates of naming the action in English. In Study 2, we found that children were more likely to mention the action in English than in French, but could recall the action when cued. These results are consistent with thinking for speaking, selecting the target language before choosing the specific constructions to use. In order for cross-linguistic transfer to occur, the languages may need to share an underlying linguistic structure, as well as an underlying conceptualization. (Contains 7 tables, 3 figures, and 2 notes.)
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Preschool Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Canada
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A