Aydin Esra et Baloglu Asli
This article is intended towards anyone interested to bilingualism and particularity destined to bilingual parents. Bilingualism is considered a widespread societal phenomenon because half of the world’s population regularly uses one or more languages in their daily lives (Grosjean, 2010). In France, bilingualism concerns 20% of the population and we considered that a bilingual child acquires at least two distinct languages. As a future psychologist we are likely to meet children, families speaking several languages and we must adapt to each other’s cultural differences. We sought to find answers to the parent’s possible questions, firstly, to fight against conventional wisdom, then to help professionals to argue and help families more closely.
Can speaking two languages have an impact on the child’s development?
Research shows that bilingual individual are a high degree of cognitive flexibility and inhibition and their learning skills are facilitated compared to monolingual children. In addition, in comparison to monolingual children, bilingual children have better language skills, have better competencies to understand the point of view of others, their thoughts, their desires and their intentions.
What are the best linguistic strategies for my child to become bilingual?
De Houwer (2015) showed that the more both parents speak their heritage language to their children, the more likely they are to become bilingual. Therefore, as a parent, do not hesitate to speak the language of socialization at home.
Does a bilingual child have more language difficulties than a monolingual child?
No, language development of bilingual child is the same of monolingual child. When the words known in both languages are added together, bilingual children know approximately the same number of words as monolinguals. The language steps are the same for bilingual children than monolingual child. “The young child acquires one or two languages in the same region of the brain, but is more active by working on two languages, it’s not an overload on the brain”, Barbara Abdelilah-Bauer, author of “The Bilingual Children’s Challenge”.
Are bilingual children likely to have language difficulties, delays or troubles?
This is a misperception because bilingual children are no more likely than monolinguals.
Is speaking two languages confusing for the child?
When the child uses both languages at the same time, we talk about code switching. Here, the child uses the other language to fill the vocabulary gap of another language. That does not mean that it mixes two languages but rather that it sets up linguistic strategies in order to fight against one’s lack.
References
Abdelilah-Bauer, B. (2006). Le défi des enfants bilingues : Grandir et vivre en parlant plusieurs langues. Paris : La découverte
Grosjean, F. (2010). Bilingualism: Life and reality. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
De Houwer, A. (2015). Harmonious bilingual development: Young families’ well-being in language contact situations. International Journal of Bilingualism, 19(2), 169‐184.
Enfants bilingues : attention à ne pas vous emmêler les pinceaux ! (1à décembre 2019). Consulté sur https://www.vousnousils.fr/2015/02/25/enfants-bilingues-attention-a-ne-pas-vous-emmeler-les-pinceaux-563704
Key-words :
Bilingualism : bilinguisme
Socialisation language : langue de socialisation ou langue d’héritage
Language steps : étapes du langage
Overload : surcharge
Misperception : perception erronée, idée fausse