posted on 2022-03-28, 18:39authored byLauren Inneke Landsberry
Although bilingual language development in an individual has been broadly studied, the phenomenon in between young bilingual siblings is relatively understudied and unknown. The proficiency of a bilingual depends on various factors such as birth order, parent's level of education, age of acquisition and environment. However, the greatest influence which is paramount to bilingual toddlers in early childhood becoming proficient speakers in both languages is due to the quantity and quality of input received. Whilst a sibling's presence is said to increase linguistic exposure, it remains unclear exactly how an older bilingual sibling's language use affects a younger sibling. This thesis reports on a case study which investigates the language choice of two siblings simultaneously acquiring Japanese and English. Using audio recordings of naturalistic interactions during everyday activities, we examine the siblings' interactions to determine the triggers and nature of code switching to determine whether the older sibling is influencing the language choices of the younger sibling. Where, when and with whom the siblings use which language will also be discussed. Lastly, we also discuss how the siblings use their language to assert their position in the family.
History
Table of Contents
1. Introduction -- 2. Literature Review -- 3. Methodology -- 4. Results and discussion -- 5. Conclusions
Notes
Theoretical thesis.
Bibliography: pages 86-93
Awarding Institution
Macquarie University
Degree Type
Thesis MRes
Degree
MRes, Macquarie University, Faculty of Human Sciences, Department of Linguistics