Language development in preschool bilingual children

If speech-language pathologists are to identify bilingual children in need of intervention, it is essential to understand the normal variations of bilingual acquisition and how it is the same or different from monolingual development. In this paper, we present an overview of the basics of preschool bilingual development based on current research findings. We discuss how bilingual children's code-mixing is normal and cannot be considered a sign of \"confusion\" of their two languages. In fact, bilingual children have been shown to differentiate their languages as young as two years of age, and possibly earlier. In terms of developmental milestones, research suggests that there is no outstanding difference between bilinguals and monolinguals, as long as both languages of the bilinguals are taken into account. We also discuss how learning new language skills can be a challenging task for bilingual children if there is any conflict between social and cultural values associated with their two languages. In the final section, we offer some clinical suggestions that arise from our overview

Sex differences in the use of indirect aggression in adult Canadians

Evolutionary psychologists have argued that the emergence of language was associated with reducing direct physical aggression and easing social functioning in small groups. If this is so, then males should use verbal or indirect aggression more frequently than females since they engage in more direct aggression. A recent study found no significant differences between men and women's self-reports of indirect aggression in a U.K. sample. We administered the same questionnaire to 175 male and 311 female Canadian university students. Men in this population reported using indirect aggression more frequently than women. The Canadian participants generally reported using indirect aggression less frequently than the U.K. study sample did, particularly the women. These results suggest that there are cultural differences in adults' frequency of use of indirect aggression. We review a number of possible reasons to account for these different results

Acquisition of motion events in L2 Spanish by German, French and Italian speakers

This article explores the second language acquisition of motion events, with particular regard to cross-linguistic influence between first and second languages. Oral narratives in Spanish as a second language by native speakers of French, German and Italian are compared, together with narratives by native Spanish speakers. Previous analysis on the expression of motion events in these languages showed that Romance languages do not always follow the same pattern; for example, Italian tends to express the component of Path more frequently than French and Spanish. The results of the present study highlight evidence of intra-typological differences, even between languages that are genetically very close. These differences seem to lead speakers to produce cases of conceptual transfer into their second language, Spanish, even when their first language is another Romance language

Finite dimensional systems with random external fields and Neutrino propagation in fluctuating media

We develop the general formalism for the study of neutrino propagation in presence of stochastic media. This formalism allows the systematic derivation of evolution equations for averaged quantities as survival probabilities and higher order distribution moments. The formalism applies equally to any finite dimensional Schroedinger equation in presence of a stochastic external force. New integro-differential equations valid for finite correlated processes are obtained for the first time. For the particular case of exponentially correlated processes a second order ordinary equation is obtained. As a consequence, the Redfield equation valid for Gaussian delta-correlated noise is rederived in a simple way. The formalism, together with the quantum correlation theorem is applied to the computation of higher moments and correlation functions of practical interest in forthcoming high precision neutrino experiments. It is shown that equal and not equal time correlators follow similar differential equations.Comment: 12 pags., Latex. 1 fig., ps. epsfig macro. minor typo errors correcte

When is a preposition a linking element?ilingual children's acquisition of French compound nouns

French is traditionally considered a non-compounding language because Speakers prefer to use lexical forms such äs NPN instead of N-N compounds. However, the preposition in these French NPNs shares similarities with meaningless linking elements in compounds in other languages. It is therefore hypothesized that children will consider the prepositions in NPNs to add no meaning to the construction and will treat N-N compounds äs they do NPNs. To test this possibility, French-English bilingual children's ordering of complex lexical items with and without prepositions was compared in French and English. A group of same-age monolingual English children acted äs a control group. The results showed that the bilingual children misordered French compounds equally often when they included or did not include a preposition. In contrast, the use of an English preposition in English expressions improved their correct ordering. One possible Interpretation of these results is that bilingual children do not consider French prepositions äs meaningful elements within NPNs. If so, the prepositions in French NPN are in an intermediate state between prepositions and linking elements

Talk to me: Parental linguistic practices may hold the key to reducing incidence of language impairment and delay among multiple birth children

Researchers have long known that multiple-birth children are predisposed toward language impairment and delay. Proposed explanations include the frequentlow birth weight of multiple birth children, unspecified genetic factors, and differences in the linguistic environment that seem to correlate with language impairment. In the current study, the linguistic environment of a set of triplets was compared to that of their singleton cousin through analysis of videotapes of family interaction. The triplets' linguistic environment seemed to be very similar to that of the singleton (at 2;3.14, 2;4.25 and 2;7.25). Further, the triplets' MLUs had reached the normal range for their age by the time of the last taping (4;4.7). The results support contentions that linguistic environment is paramount in determining language development in multiple-birth children