In this paper, I analyse the patterns of intra-sentential code switching in the speech of bilingual children aged between of two and four years.
The first section will deal with some of the theoretical approaches to code switching which try to establish certain grammatical rules for this linguistic phenomenon.
Afterwards, I will analyse the code switches in the speech acts of different children in order to find out more about the nature of these switches. The aim is to find out whether code switches, within the sentence boundaries, always occur in the same position or if they can be found anywhere in the sentence. Furthermore, I will analyse what types of words are being switched and if the switches violate the word order of the sentences. All this will be looked at with regard to the principles mentioned in the first section and whether the code switches adhere to these principles or violate them.
The findings and results presented here should be considered with reservation since the brevity of this paper does not allow the analysis of a representative amount of data.
The data is taken from the CHILDES Corpus as well as from Gawlitzek-Maiwald and Tracy’s article Bilingual Bootstrapping and from Albrecht’s publication I can speak German- und Deutsch: The development and use of code-switching among simultaneous and successive English-German bilingual children.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Principles and constraints of code switching
- Poplack's Equivalence Constraint
- Sankoff and Poplack's Free Morpheme Constraint
- Myers-Scotton's Matrix Frame Language Model
- Analysis of data
- Data 1, Hannah (2;4)
- Data 2, Jeremy (2;5.05)
- Data 3, Jeremy (2;5.12)
- Data 4, Olivier (2;8)
- Data 5, Annick (3;1)
- Data 6, Olivier (3;7)
- Data 7, Paula (4;3)
- Data 8, Paula (4;5)
- Conclusion
- References
- Appendix
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper analyzes intra-sentential code-switching patterns in the speech of bilingual children aged two to four. The main objective is to investigate the placement of code switches within sentences and determine whether they adhere to established linguistic principles or violate them. The analysis examines the types of words switched and whether the switches affect sentence word order. * Code-switching patterns in bilingual children's speech * Application of linguistic constraints (Poplack's Equivalence Constraint, Sankoff and Poplack's Free Morpheme Constraint, Myers-Scotton's Matrix Language Model) * Analysis of word types and positions involved in code-switching * Impact of code-switching on sentence structure and word order * Variations in code-switching across different childrenChapter Summaries
Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the analysis of intra-sentential code-switching in the speech of bilingual children aged two to four. It lays out the scope of the paper, highlighting the focus on the patterns of code-switching within sentences and the intent to investigate whether these switches follow established linguistic constraints. The chapter briefly touches on the theoretical framework that will be applied to analyze the data, setting the context for the subsequent sections that delve into detailed explanations of the specific constraints and the analysis of the collected data. The introduction also notes the limitations of the study due to the restricted amount of data available for analysis, suggesting that the findings should be interpreted cautiously.
Principles and constraints of code switching: This chapter provides an overview of the linguistic principles and constraints related to code-switching. It introduces Poplack's Equivalence Constraint, explaining that code-switching tends to occur where the structures of the two languages align. Next, it describes Sankoff and Poplack's Free Morpheme Constraint, emphasizing that switches typically do not happen between bound morphemes and lexical items unless the latter is phonologically integrated into the language of the bound morpheme. Finally, it explains Myers-Scotton's Matrix Language Frame Model, which posits one language (the matrix language) as dominant, determining sentence structure, and the other (the embedded language) playing a subordinate role. The chapter sets the theoretical groundwork for analyzing whether the children's code-switching patterns adhere to these proposed linguistic rules.
Analysis of data: This section presents a detailed analysis of code-switching instances from the speech of several bilingual children. Each sub-section focuses on a specific child's data, providing a close examination of the code-switching events within their utterances. The analysis evaluates whether the observed code switches conform to the previously discussed constraints or represent violations. Examples are provided, explaining the specifics of each code-switching instance and how it relates to the linguistic rules introduced earlier. The analysis demonstrates how the children's use of code-switching can reveal their evolving linguistic competence and their strategies for navigating between two languages in real-time conversation. The chapter highlights the variability in code-switching patterns across different children and at various stages of their language development.
Keywords
Intra-sentential code-switching, bilingual children, language acquisition, linguistic constraints, Poplack's Equivalence Constraint, Sankoff and Poplack's Free Morpheme Constraint, Myers-Scotton's Matrix Language Model, CHILDES Corpus, word order, morphology, syntax.
Frequently Asked Questions: Analysis of Intra-sentential Code-Switching in Bilingual Children
What is the main topic of this paper?
This paper analyzes intra-sentential code-switching patterns in the speech of bilingual children aged two to four. The main objective is to investigate the placement of code switches within sentences and determine whether they adhere to established linguistic principles or violate them.
What are the key themes explored in this research?
The research explores code-switching patterns in bilingual children's speech, applying linguistic constraints (Poplack's Equivalence Constraint, Sankoff and Poplack's Free Morpheme Constraint, Myers-Scotton's Matrix Language Model) to analyze word types and positions involved in code-switching. It also examines the impact of code-switching on sentence structure and word order, and variations in code-switching across different children.
What linguistic constraints are examined in relation to the code-switching data?
The study examines three main linguistic constraints: Poplack's Equivalence Constraint, Sankoff and Poplack's Free Morpheme Constraint, and Myers-Scotton's Matrix Language Frame Model. These constraints provide theoretical frameworks for understanding the rules and patterns governing code-switching.
What type of data is analyzed in the study?
The analysis uses data from the speech of several bilingual children aged two to four. The data consists of examples of intra-sentential code-switching, focusing on the placement of code switches within sentences and the types of words involved.
How is the data analyzed?
The analysis involves a detailed examination of each child's code-switching instances. The researchers evaluate whether the observed code switches conform to the previously discussed constraints (Poplack, Sankoff & Poplack, Myers-Scotton) or represent violations. The analysis demonstrates how the children's use of code-switching can reveal their evolving linguistic competence.
What are the key findings of the analysis?
The analysis highlights the variability in code-switching patterns across different children and at various stages of their language development. While specific findings aren't detailed in this preview, the study aims to determine whether children's code-switching adheres to established linguistic principles.
What is the structure of the paper?
The paper is structured into an introduction, a section on principles and constraints of code-switching, a detailed analysis of the data (divided by child), a conclusion, references, and an appendix. Each chapter summary provides an overview of its contents.
What are the limitations of the study?
The preview mentions that the study has limitations due to the restricted amount of data available for analysis. Therefore, the findings should be interpreted cautiously.
What are the keywords associated with this research?
Key words include: Intra-sentential code-switching, bilingual children, language acquisition, linguistic constraints, Poplack's Equivalence Constraint, Sankoff and Poplack's Free Morpheme Constraint, Myers-Scotton's Matrix Language Frame Model, CHILDES Corpus, word order, morphology, syntax.
Where can I find more information?
The full paper will provide detailed analysis, supporting data, and more complete conclusions. The references section within the full paper will offer sources for further reading on the topic.
- Quote paper
- Yvonne Benoit (Author), 2007, Intra-sentential code switching in the speech of bilingual children, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/76099
