Semantic and Conceptual Knowledge Underlying Bilingual Babies' First Signs and Words

• Published in: Language learning Vol. 52; no. 2; pp. 205 - 262
• Main Authors: Holowka, Siobhan, Brosseau-Lapré, Françoise, Petitto, Laura Ann
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford UK and Boston, USA Blackwell Publishers Ltd 01.06.2002; Blackwell
• Subjects: Bilingualism; Child language. Acquisition and development; Concept Formation; Infants; Language Acquisition; Linguistics; Production and comprehension processes; Psycholinguistics; Psychology of language; Semantics; Sign language; Lexical meaning; Language development; Infant; Psycholinguistics; Bilingualism; Semantic representation; Cognitive development; Language acquisition; Second language acquisition
• ISSN: 0023-8333; 1467-9922
• DOI: 10.1111/0023-8333.00184

We addressed the question of how babies exposed to two languages simultaneously acquire the meanings of words across their two languages. In particular, we attempted to shed new light on whether babies know that they are acquiring different lexicons right from the start, or whether early bilingual exposure causes them to be semantically confused. We propose a collection of research methods that, taken together, can answer these questions, which have hitherto received scant attention. Six hearing babies were videotaped for one hour on average seven times over one year (ages ranging from 0;7 to 2;2); three babies were acquiring French and English, and three French and LSQ. These populations offer unique insights into the semantic knowledge underlying bilingual as well as monolingual language acquisition. We found that the babies (1) acquired their two languages on the same timetable as monolinguals and (2) produced translation equivalents in their very first lexicons. Further, their early words (signs) in each language (3) were constrained along kind boundaries, (4) showed fundamentally similar semantic organization across their dual lexicons, and (5) reflected the meanings of their favorite things first. We also discuss why attributions that young bilinguals are delayed and confused have prevailed and we show that they are neither at this point in development. Finally, the present findings show how research of this type can provide a method for making bilingual norms wholly attainable.