Lessons to be Learned from Bimodal Bilingualism

Abstract

This article presents a selective overview of topics related to the language experience of early bimodal bilinguals - individuals who are raised from an early age using two languages from two different modalities, typically spoken (or written) and signed. We show that deaf and hearing bimodal bilinguals may display patterns of bilingualism that are similar to unimodal bilinguals in some ways, such as the use of both languages in a single situation or even a single utterance. Nevertheless, there are also differences between bimodal and unimodal bilinguals, and differences among different subgroups of bimodal bilinguals, given large variation in relative access to the dominant and minority language(s) in their environment and their differential experiences in schooling and interactions with potential interlocutors. Moreover, we review studies discussing potential advantages of the sign modality and advantages of bilingualism in this population. We hope to highlight the importance of considering children’s overall language experience, including the age(s) at which they are exposed to each of their languages, the richness of their experiences with each of the languages, and the ways that the language-learning experience may contribute to the child’s linguistic and cognitive development.

The Role of Modality in L2 Learning: The Importance of Learners Acquiring a Second Sign Language (M2L2 and M1L2 Learners)

“…For M2L2 learners and codas, both assumed to be dominant in their spoken language, switches from bimodal to unimodal production incur significant cost, while switching from unimodal to bimodal production incurs decreased cost or even no cost at all (Emmorey et al., 2020; Kaufman & Philipp, 2017). The asymmetry of these patterns calls to mind asymmetries reported for unimodal spoken language switching but also raises the possibility that for bimodal bilinguals, simultaneous lexical retrieval in both languages may not incur any more cognitive cost than in just one language (Lillo‐Martin et al., 2022).…”

“…A robust literature on bimodal bilingual learners has since identified potential effects of modality on language acquisition, which we overview in the next section. Today, M2L2 learners are seen as the important comparison case for more familiar contexts of L2 learners acquiring a second spoken language (Lillo‐Martin et al., 2022). However, focusing on M2L2 learners as the sole comparison group for unimodal spoken L2 learners overlooks another group of unimodal bilinguals: those who have previously acquired a sign language and are now learning a new one as their L2 (or L3/L n ).…”