There are millions of children around the world who grow up bilingually or even multilingually. They need to know many different languages to be able to communicate with their parents, their teachers, with the people they buy their groceries from, or with officials who might all speak a different language. For those children, for their parents and the society that surrounds those it is more than normal to be multilingual. Over the past decades the topic of bilingualism has become more and more important in the western part of the world too. There are many families who start teaching their children two and more languages but it is also still a subject that is highly debated between scholars from all over the world. People are afraid that teaching two languages to a child might harm his or her development. They do not want to overburden their children or cause any severe damages. Therefore many parents and caretakers still decide for one language which they will teach to their child(ren).
This paper is going to analyse some aspects of the question how children become bilinguals and which difficulties might occur along the way while trying to prove that children are very well able to learn two and even more languages from birth. After starting out with a short personal introduction, the terms ‘bilingualism’, ‘early bilingualism’ and ‘late bilingualism’ are going to be defined. Afterwards types of child language acquisition are explained and two different theses on how children become bilingual are shortly looked at. It is going to be looked at some specialities in child language acquisition and different language characteristics of early bilingual speech are highlighted. In conclusion it is going to be looked at some possibilities to support children in their bilingual development.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Personal Experience
3. General Aspects
3.1. Definition of bilingualism
3.2 Early and late bilingualism
3.3 Types of child language acquisition
3.4 Two theses
3.5 Bilingual and monolingual first language acquisition compared
4. Bilingual Language Acquisition in children
5. Language characteristics in early bilingual speech
5.1 Code-switching
5.2 Mixing
5.3 Interference
6. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Topics
This academic paper examines the mechanisms and developmental processes involved in early bilingualism in children, aiming to dispel common myths and address the challenges associated with raising multilingual children. By analyzing linguistic theories and existing research, the paper explores whether children are naturally equipped to acquire multiple languages from birth and provides practical support strategies for parents and caregivers.
- Theoretical definitions of bilingualism and the distinction between early and late acquisition.
- Classification of child language acquisition types according to Suzanne Romaine.
- Examination of language development hypotheses, including the "unitary language system" vs. "independent development."
- Analysis of key bilingual speech phenomena such as code-switching, mixing, and interference.
Excerpt from the Book
5.1 Code-switching
It might be argued that code-switching is potentially the most creative aspect of bilingual speech. It has however, also been considered as a sign of linguistic decay, i.e. evidence that bilinguals are not capable of acquiring two languages properly or keeping them apart. (Hoffmann 1997: 109)
Jürgen M. Meisel defines-code switching as “[…] the bilingual’s ability to select the language according to the interlocutor, the situational context, etc.” (Meisel 2000: 344) He writes that code-switching is a common phenomenon that can be observed with bilingual children but also with bilingual adults. Meisel also describes this phenomenon as a ‘relief strategy’. Children or adults use words or phrases from language A when the linguistic material from that language comes to mind faster than the linguistic material of language B or when they are speaking about a topic they would normally speak about in language A, although they were just having a conversation with somebody in language B. Furthermore it is stated that children seem to realize it when they are code-switching and that they mostly try to correct themselves. Additionally code-switching might not only be used as a method of relief but it might also become more frequent when the child has become more competent in both of his or her languages. (cf. Meisel 2000: 345) There are also scholars who believe that code-mixing occurs for the first time when children find out that they are speaking two different languages which would.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the motivation for the study, acknowledging the common fear parents have regarding childhood bilingualism and stating the paper's intent to prove that children are well-equipped for multiple language acquisition.
2. Personal Experience: The author shares personal observations of two young girls raised in a "one parent – one language" environment to illustrate practical challenges and developmental patterns.
3. General Aspects: This section provides foundational definitions of bilingualism and explores various types of acquisition, comparisons between early and late bilingualism, and the debate between unitary vs. separate language systems.
4. Bilingual Language Acquisition in children: This chapter focuses on phonological and lexical progress, introducing the "Critical Period" hypothesis and the concept of acquiring equivalents.
5. Language characteristics in early bilingual speech: This chapter analyzes the natural, non-pathological nature of code-switching, mixing, and interference as standard bilingual developmental phenomena.
6. Conclusion: The paper summarizes that bilingualism is a manageable and advantageous process, encouraging parents to move away from "perfectionism" to support their children's growth.
Keywords
Bilingualism, Early Bilingualism, Child Language Acquisition, Code-switching, Language Mixing, Interference, Multilingualism, Language Development, One Person-One Language, Phonological Development, Lexical Development, Language Systems, First Language Acquisition, Language Support, Parental Guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on the process of early childhood bilingualism, evaluating how children acquire two or more languages simultaneously and addressing the myths that suggest such an upbringing causes developmental delays.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The central themes include the definition and classification of bilingualism, the debate regarding how language systems are stored in the brain, and the analysis of common bilingual speech features like code-switching and interference.
What is the main research question or goal?
The goal is to analyze how children become bilinguals, identify the difficulties they face, and demonstrate that they are inherently capable of learning multiple languages from birth without suffering harm.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The research relies on a literature review and synthesis of key linguistic scholars (such as Hoffmann, Meisel, and DeHouwer), supplemented by personal observation and case study examples.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body covers the theoretical foundations of language separation, different home language models, and detailed explanations of why children code-switch or mix languages as a "relief strategy" rather than a sign of confusion.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Early Bilingualism, Child Language Acquisition, Code-switching, Language Mixing, Interference, and Language Support.
What is the "one person – one language" system mentioned in the text?
It is an acquisition method where each parent consistently speaks only their individual mother tongue to the child, which helps the child distinguish between the two language systems.
Is code-switching considered a sign of linguistic confusion?
No, the author argues that code-switching is a creative and normal "relief strategy" used by bilingual children when they need to communicate effectively before they have fully mastered the target language vocabulary.
How does the author propose parents support their children?
The author advises parents to abandon "perfectionism," remain consistent with language exposure, allow the child time to develop, and foster a positive attitude toward both languages.
- Quote paper
- Anika Kehl (Author), 2010, Early Bilingualism. Growing up with two languages, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/279061
