Complex sentence production in bilingual and monolingual children

ABSTRACT

Bilingual children often lag behind monolinguals on standardized measures of language acquisition, such as vocabulary tests. This bilingual lag could be related bilinguals’ lesser experience with the target language relative to monolinguals. In this study, we predicted that sequential Mandarin-English bilinguals would perform worse than same-aged English monolinguals on a standardized measure of complex sentence production. As predicted, the bilingual preschoolers performed worse than age-matched English monolinguals. However, once English experience was covaried, there was no significant difference between the two groups. After controlling for age, we tested three predictors of complex sentence production: (1) English vocabulary, (2) verbal memory, and (for the bilinguals) (3) Mandarin vocabulary. For both bilinguals and monolinguals, English vocabulary and verbal memory were significant predictors. These results support the argument that experience with a particular language is highly predictive of children’s ability to produce complex sentences in that language. Verbal memory is also an important predictor of individual differences in the ability to produce complex sentences.

KEYWORDS:

• Sentence production
• child bilinguals
• complex sentences
• working memory

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethical statement

The methods of this study were reviewed and approved by the Research Ethics Board of the University of Alberta (Pro00083328). The parents of all children provided writte000n consent before data were collected. The children provided assent before data were collected and their verbal and nonverbal behaviour was monitored throughout the session for continued willingness to participate.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada [grant number 2018-04978].

Notes on contributors

Elena Nicoladis

Elena Nicoladis is a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia. Her research interests include bilingual first language acquisition and gesture production.

Amanda Luo

Amanda Luo worked on this study when she was an undergraduate student at the University of Albertas.

George Vouronikos

George Vouronikos worked on this study when he was an undergraduate student at the University of Albertas.