Gathercole, V. C. M. 1 , Stadthagen-González, H. 1 , Perez Tattam, R. 1 , Yavas, F. 2 , Campusano, G. 2 & Miller, J. 2
1 Bangor University
2 Florida International University
This study examines the occurrence and location of convergence across the semantic category systems of bilinguals. We focus on monolingual, bilingual, and L2English speakers of Spanish and English in Miami; bilinguals are grouped according to language exposure in the home as children (OSH, SEH*). We examine the vulnerability of distinct types of categories in relation to cognitive underpinnings, whether one type of bilingual is more likely to demonstrate convergence than others, and whether the majority language takes over the minority language.
Speakers interpreted Spanish or English words, half of which had wider application in Spanish than in English (dedos / fingers, toes), and half the reverse (brush / cepillo [hair brush], brocha [paint brush]). Four category types were examined: classical (membership can be specified with necessary and sufficient conditions) (e.g., wall [pared, muro]), radial with either taxonomic or thematic links (pata [paw, leg of a table], letters [letras, cartas]), and homophones (nail [uña, clavo]). Picture choices and reaction times were recorded.
Results reveal parity across groups for English, except that L2 speakers show lower performance for all word types and OSH bilinguals show influence of Spanish on Spanish-wider-than-English classical and thematic categories. Choice results for Spanish reveal influence of English in both ESH and OSH bilinguals. Bilinguals differ most from monolinguals on narrow classical categories and on wide homophone items. Reaction time patterns also reveal differences across monolingual and bilingual groups. (Note that bilinguals and monolinguals were otherwise comparable on Spanish and English vocabulary and grammatical abilities.)
Results are discussed in terms of the role of exposure and timing of exposure in determining semantic and cognitive organization in bilingual speakers and are compared with similar findings from our group on other language pairs.
* OSH=only Spanish at home; SEH=Spanish and English at home