Bimodal bilingualism

Abstract

Speech-sign or "bimodal" bilingualism is exceptional because distinct modalities allow for simultaneous production of two languages. We investigated the ramifications of this phenomenon for models of language production by eliciting language mixing from eleven hearing native users of American Sign Language (ASL) and English. Instead of switching between languages, bilinguals frequently produced code-blends (simultaneously produced English words and ASL signs). Code-blends resembled co-speech gesture with respect to synchronous vocal-manual timing and semantic equivalence. When ASL was the Matrix Language, no single-word code-blends were observed, suggesting stronger inhibition of English than ASL for these proficient bilinguals. We propose a model that accounts for similarities between co-speech gesture and code-blending and assumes interactions between ASL and English Formulators. The findings constrain language production models by demonstrating the possibility of simultaneously selecting two lexical representations (but not two propositions) for linguistic expression and by suggesting that lexical suppression is computationally more costly than lexical selection.

Language switching across modalities: Evidence from bimodal bilinguals.

“…In contrast to unimodal bilinguals, for bimodal bilinguals there is no conflict in the articulatory channels and dual lexical selection is possible, such as when hearing LANGUAGE-SWITCHING ACROSS MODALITIES 4 signers produce signs and spoken words in parallel as 'code-blends' in conversations with other bimodal bilinguals (Emmorey, Borinstein, Thompson, & Gollan, 2008). In this interactional context, neither of the two languages has to be suppressed and language control demands might therefore be low (Green, 2016).…”

Sign-speaking: The structure of simultaneous bimodal utterances

“…The simultaneous occurrence of signs and spoken words is called code-blending (Emmorey, Borinstein, Thompson & Gollan, 2008;Donati & Branchini, 2012). In order to frame the understanding of our data, it is useful to categorise code-blended utterances into four basic types (a-b here and c-d further below) in terms of the contribution of both languages' grammars to clause-level structure: a) Speech is the dominant modality.…”

“…For instance, in the data from Emmorey et al (2008), the non-dominant language is often partially represented in the form of individually inserted words or phrases, mostly with English as the dominant language. In the sign-speaking data, the picture is quite different, as utterances with no, partial, or adapted Hindi/ISL constitute only a minority of clauses.…”

“…Previous researchers have assumed a single computation for bimodal bilingual utterances (Donati and Branchini, 2012;Ergenç et al, forthcoming). The most detailed processing model appears in Emmorey et al (2008). This model assumes that a Matrix…”

The Source of Enhanced Cognitive Control in Bilinguals: Evidence From Bimodal-Bilinguals

“…Bilinguals who know two spoken languages (unimodal bilinguals) cannot produce two words at the same time; that is, they cannot simultaneously say dog and perro. In contrast, bimodal bilinguals who know both a spoken and a signed language can produce lexical items from both languages at the same time (Emmorey, Borinstein, Thompson, & Gollan, 2008 ; Casey & Emmorey, in press;Pyers & Emmorey, 2008). Like unimodal bilinguals, bimodal bilinguals have two available languages, but they are not necessarily constrained to select only one language for production, even in monolingual interactions.…”