Abstract
This paper examines the relationship between language dominance and the under-investigated topic of inter-sentential code-switching in Hong Kong Cantonese–English bilingual children. Longitudinal data for six children showing different dominance patterns were analysed. MLU differentials (Yip & Matthews, 2006) were adopted to measure dominance based on five criteria: methodological compatibility, typological comparability, gradient measurement, variance validity, and multifaceted compatibility. Our results showed that bilingual children produced more inter-sentential code-switching in the context of their non-dominant language and less in their dominant-language context. We account for this asymmetry in relation to mechanisms of inhibitory control (Gross & Kaushanskaya, 2015). Further, we propose that intrasentential and inter-sentential code-switching each have a different status in bilingual children’s developing grammar, underlining the methodological importance of separating the two constructs in future investigations. We also suggest that, in societies where intra-sentential code-switching is a social norm, inter-sentential code-switching could serve as signs of early bilinguals’ dominance status.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 73-105 |
| Number of pages | 33 |
| Journal | Journal of Monolingual and Bilingual Speech |
| Volume | 2 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 26 Sept 2020 |
Keywords
- code-switching
- code-mixing
- language dominance
- Cantonese-English bilingual
- bilingual children
- MLU
Access to Document
- Accepted manuscript_Cantonese-English bilingual children_(after review)Accepted author manuscript, 675 KB
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In: Journal of Monolingual and Bilingual Speech, Vol. 2, No. 1, 26.09.2020, p. 73-105.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Inter-sentential code-switching and language dominance in Cantonese-English bilingual children
AU - Lam, Chit Fung
AU - Matthews, Stephen
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PY - 2020/9/26
Y1 - 2020/9/26
N2 - (Manuscript available: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346042820_Inter-sentential_Code-switching_and_Language_Dominance_in_Cantonese-English_Bilingual_Children)This paper examines the relationship between language dominance and the under-investigated topic of inter-sentential code-switching in Hong Kong Cantonese–English bilingual children. Longitudinal data for six children showing different dominance patterns were analysed. MLU differentials (Yip & Matthews, 2006) were adopted to measure dominance based on five criteria: methodological compatibility, typological comparability, gradient measurement, variance validity, and multifaceted compatibility. Our results showed that bilingual children produced more inter-sentential code-switching in the context of their non-dominant language and less in their dominant-language context. We account for this asymmetry in relation to mechanisms of inhibitory control (Gross & Kaushanskaya, 2015). Further, we propose that intrasentential and inter-sentential code-switching each have a different status in bilingual children’s developing grammar, underlining the methodological importance of separating the two constructs in future investigations. We also suggest that, in societies where intra-sentential code-switching is a social norm, inter-sentential code-switching could serve as signs of early bilinguals’ dominance status.
AB - (Manuscript available: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346042820_Inter-sentential_Code-switching_and_Language_Dominance_in_Cantonese-English_Bilingual_Children)This paper examines the relationship between language dominance and the under-investigated topic of inter-sentential code-switching in Hong Kong Cantonese–English bilingual children. Longitudinal data for six children showing different dominance patterns were analysed. MLU differentials (Yip & Matthews, 2006) were adopted to measure dominance based on five criteria: methodological compatibility, typological comparability, gradient measurement, variance validity, and multifaceted compatibility. Our results showed that bilingual children produced more inter-sentential code-switching in the context of their non-dominant language and less in their dominant-language context. We account for this asymmetry in relation to mechanisms of inhibitory control (Gross & Kaushanskaya, 2015). Further, we propose that intrasentential and inter-sentential code-switching each have a different status in bilingual children’s developing grammar, underlining the methodological importance of separating the two constructs in future investigations. We also suggest that, in societies where intra-sentential code-switching is a social norm, inter-sentential code-switching could serve as signs of early bilinguals’ dominance status.
KW - code-switching
KW - code-mixing
KW - language dominance
KW - Cantonese-English bilingual
KW - bilingual children
KW - MLU
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/a2aa3338-bc10-310f-ad7b-c7c5657044c1/
U2 - 10.1558/jmbs.13308
DO - 10.1558/jmbs.13308
M3 - Article
SN - 2361-8407
VL - 2
SP - 73
EP - 105
JO - Journal of Monolingual and Bilingual Speech
JF - Journal of Monolingual and Bilingual Speech
IS - 1
ER -