In-Between Languages: Language Shift/Maintenance in Childhood Bilingualism

Abstract

This paper examines structural consequences of intensive language contact on simultaneous L1 and L2 child language development in an L2-dominant environment. Based on the assumption that structural processes in language contact are operating at and determined by abstract complex lexical structure, various structural configurations in bilingual speech (e.g., codeswitching, convergence, and a Composite Matrix Language) are explained in terms of three levels of abstract lexical structure: the lexical-conceptual structure, predicate-argument structure, and morphological realization patterns. Empirical evidence from Hungarian/English bilingual speech demonstrates that as a result of a turnover in the Matrix Language abstract lexical structure can be “split” and “recombined” in such a way that surface structure is projected by an underlying grammatical system which is a composite. Prevalent changes and patterns of linguistic structure are interpreted in relation to ongoing language shift to L2, or L1 maintenance/attrition.

Research Findings on Early First Language Attrition: Implications for the Discussion on Critical Periods in Language Acquisition

“…Corresponding to our second category of L1 attrition/delay (nonbalanced early childhood bilingualism-simultaneous exposure to L a þ L b from birth or age of exposure to L a or L b earlier than age 3), 3 Kaufman and Aronoff (1991) and Bolonyai (1998) were also able to report on an early onset of attrition/ delay of Hebrew and Hungarian, respectively. Similarly to the Kaufman (1995Kaufman ( , 2001 studies, Bolonyai described an active language maintenance effort on the part of both parents in an attempt to compensate for the growing influence of English during the bilingual child's preschool years (specifically ages 3 to 4).…”

“…Convergence, a different kind of L a !L b interaction, has the outward appearance of monolingual speech; all lexical items occurring in the sentence come from L a , but not all components of the abstract lexical structures belong to L a . Converging speech and mixing, which accompanies attrition or nonbalanced early bilingualism, requires the construction of a composite matrix language (Bolonyai, 1998;Myers-Scotton, 2002;Schmitt, 2000). Although not addressing the question of an actual erosion of L1 competence, Pfaff (1999) documented the course of mixing patterns (Turkish-German) in which the one-time L2, now the preferred language of the preschool bilingual, progressively became the predominant base language in bilingual speech, another example of matrix language ''turnover.''…”

Language attrition and reactivation in the context of bilingual first language acquisition

“…Armon-Lotem 2000; Bar-Shalom and Zaretsky 2008;Bolonyai 1998;Cohen 1989). The opposite phenomenon, where a language has undergone attrition or loss and is subsequently recovered, has also generated some attention in the literature.…”

Reluctance of Acehnese youth to use Acehnese

“…Ravindranath (2009) defines language shift as the process by which bilingual speakers in a contact situation gradually stop using one of their two languages. Bolonyai (1998) and Letsholo (2009) have illustrated language shift as the partial replacement and abandonment of minority languages by dominant ones.…”