The language‐specific nature of grammatical development: evidence from bilingual language learners

• DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-7687.2004.00340.x
• Publication Date: 2004-03-12T16:09:24Z
• Authors: Virginia A. Marchman; Carmen Martínez‐S...; Philip S. Dale
• Keywords: Male; Verbal Behavior; 4. Education; 05 social sciences; Infant; Multilingualism; Models, Psychological; Verbal Learning; Child, Preschool; Surveys and Questionnaires; Humans; Female; 0501 psychology and cognitive sciences; Child Language; Language

Abstract The fact that early lexical and grammatical acquisition are strongly correlated has been cited as evidence against the view language faculty is composed of dissociable autonomous modules ( Bates & Goodman, 1997 ). However, previous studies have not yet eliminated possibility lexical–grammar associations may be attributable to language‐general individual differences (e.g. children who good at learning words grammar). Parent report assessments toddlers simultaneously English Spanish n = 113) allow an examination specificity relationships while holding child factors constant. Within‐language vocabulary–grammar were stronger than cross‐language relationships, even after controlling for age, proportion exposure, general skill reporter bias. Similar patterns found based on naturalistic samples 22), ruling out a methodological artifact. These results consistent with grammar specifically tied progress in given provide further support strong lexical–grammatical continuity acquisition.