Gender assignment in mixed noun phrases

Abstract

Noun phrases (NPs) constitute one of the most frequent sites where bilingual speakers code-switch. In this chapter we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of research into grammatical gender assignment in mixed NPs, namely NPs containing a noun from one language and a gender-agreeing element from another. We outline the three main gender assignment strategies observed in mixed NPs: (i) translation equivalent, (ii) shape-based, and (iii) default, and in which language pairs, using which tasks, they have been observed. We discuss how the order of acquisition of the gendered and non-gendered language, language dominance, task type, and community norms combine with linguistic properties to modulate gender assignment patterns. Findings suggest that bilinguals who learned a gendered language first seem to prefer the translation equivalent strategy. Since insufficient data from a wide variety of language dyads is currently available, we are cautious about offering further generalisations. Nonetheless, we highlight findings suggesting that more habitual code-switchers prefer the masculine default strategy. In order to progress beyond the current state of the art, we suggest that the field needs to expand into more language dyads, as well as extend existing research on individual language dyads, using multiple methodologies and in communities differing in their code-switching frequency.

Bilingualism with minority languages: Why searching for unicorn language users does not move us forward

“…Advocacy for a socially informed psycholinguistics brings these core issues to the forefront given that the diverse social conditions in which bi-/multilinguals engage in throughout their lifespan bring paradoxes worth addressing. For instance, the so-called heritage speakers in the US do not share the same experiences as heritage speakers in certain European countries, rendering some comparisons problematic (Bellamy et al, 2020; van Osch, 2019). In language revitalization contexts, the term new speakers is often used to describe the linguistic practices of those who acquired the language outside the family context (O’Rourke et al, 2015, p. 1).…”

Across-language masculinity of oceans and femininity of guitars: Exploring grammatical gender universalities

“…This conclusion seems especially important, since the exploration of gender assignment to loanwords and neologisms is dubbed as “a continuously running experiment, which allows us to verify the assignment system in the languages in question” ( Corbett, 1991 , p. 71). Studies of a similar, but not absolutely identical, process of bilingual code-switching yield variable results: their findings show consistency with semantics-mediated cross-linguistic influence ( Nicoladis et al, 2021 ), but also suggest that code-switching is impacted by various linguistic and extra-linguistic factors ( Bellamy and Parafita Couto, 2022 ). The authors of both studies emphasize the need for further extended exploration.…”