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15 - Acquisition of Segmental Phonology in Child Bilingualism

from Part III - The Phonetics and Phonology of the Bilingual Child

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 November 2024

By
Laura Bosch
Edited by
Mark Amengual
Mark Amengual
Affiliation:
University of California, Santa Cruz
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Summary

This chapter focuses on the acquisition of segmental phonology in simultaneous bilingual children, highlighting the factors that help explain variability in the pathways toward the construction of language-specific phonological systems. A review of the literature is offered which groups studies by age of participants, a strategy that captures the dynamic nature of the segmental learning processes. It also reveals differences in the methodological approaches for assessing bilingual children’s phonological learning, from the production of their first words to more mature levels of phonological knowledge. As a general view, segmental acquisition seems to be characterized by differentiated but interconnected systems, including realignments along this extended developmental process. However, more nuanced approaches are needed, especially related to the perception–production connection and input quality factors, to reach a more comprehensive view of the acquisition of segmental phonology in young simultaneous bilinguals.

Keywords

code-switchingcross-language transferdevelopmental trajectoriesdual language inputinput qualityinput quantitylanguage dominancelearner’s intrinsic skillsNLM-e theory, perception–production linkphonology–lexicon connectionPRIMIR frameworkphonological proximityseparate systemssocio-communicative factors
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Bilingual Phonetics and Phonology , pp. 339 - 358
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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