Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gbm5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-29T07:09:18.458Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

6 - Cross-linguistic Influence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 February 2024

François Grosjean
Affiliation:
Université de Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Get access

Summary

The influence of one language on the other when bilinguals speak and write monolingually is an intriguing phenomenon. The author first revisits how interference has been defined over the years by major researchers. He then argues that the definitions proposed were simply too broad, and covered not only interferences but also other contact phenomena such as code-switches and borrowings. The only way to get to the bottom of this problem is to control the language mode bilinguals and language learners are in when they are being observed. In addition, he suggests that we differentiate permanent traces of one language on the other (to be called transfers) from ephemeral intrusions of the other language (these would be interferences). The author continues by describing research conducted with his colleagues on Spanish–French bilinguals in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. The results obtained allowed them to have a better understanding of language restructuring in a first language. In addition, and as a by-product, it gave them a way to differentiate ephemeral intrusions from more permanent traces of the other language. He ends the chapter with a few words on bilinguals’ comprehension of speech containing cross-linguistic influences that comprise both transfers and interferences.

Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×