ABSTRACT

Numerous studies suggest that bilinguals demonstrate smaller vocabularies than monolinguals, and that bilinguals’ breadth of vocabulary knowledge – both expressive and receptive – is linked to input frequencies in each language [e.g. Hoff, E., S. Welsh, S. Place, and K. Ribot. 2014. “Properties of Dual Language Input That Shape Bilingual Development and Properties of Environments That Shape Dual Language Input.” In Input and Experience in Bilingual Development, edited by T. Grüter, and J. Paradis, Vol. 13, 119–140. Amserdam: John Benjamins]. However, relatively little is known about the quality of bilinguals’ knowledge of the words they do know (e.g. their understanding of how words relate to each other semantically) and how input frequencies influence that knowledge. Using the Cognitive Abilities Tasks – 4 (CAT-4), this study explored the potential links between three types of input sources – home language exposure, self-reported rates of language use in general, and language use with friends – and bilinguals’ performance on two types of vocabulary tests in both Welsh and English: verbal analogy and verbal categorisation. Results revealed similar performance across-the-board in relation to their knowledge of English vocabulary, regardless of their exposure to and use of Welsh and/or English in general and with friends, but their knowledge of the links between words in Welsh was related to home language exposure and rates of language use. The implications and application of these results in practice are discussed.

摘要

大量研究表明，双语者的词汇量比单语者少，而且双语者词汇知识的广度（表达性和接受性）与每种语言的输入频率相关[例如 Hoff、E.、S. Welsh、S. Place 和 K .里博特。2014。“塑造双语发展的双语言输入的属性和塑造双语言输入的环境的属性。” 双语发展的投入和经验，由 T. Grüter 和 J. Paradis 编辑，卷。13、119-140。Amserdam：约翰·本杰明斯]。然而，关于双语者对其所知道的单词的知识质量（例如，他们对单词如何在语义上相互关联的理解）以及输入频率如何影响该知识，人们知之甚少。本研究使用认知能力任务 – 4 (CAT-4)，探讨了三种输入源（家庭语言接触、自我报告的一般语言使用率以及与朋友一起使用语言）与双语者表现之间的潜在联系威尔士语和英语的两种词汇测试：言语类比和言语分类。结果显示，他们在英语词汇知识方面的全面表现相似，无论他们一般以及与朋友接触和使用威尔士语和/或英语，但他们对威尔士语单词之间联系的了解与家庭语言接触和语言使用率有关。讨论了这些结果在实践中的含义和应用。