Filling lexical gaps and more: code-switching for the power of expression by young bilinguals.
Michelle K Tulloch, Erika Hoff
PMID 35788254WHAT IT FOUND
Bilingual children switch to their stronger language when their vocabulary gap between languages widens.
This happens even when speaking to a bilingual parent who understands both, suggesting the switch is about expressing complex thoughts, not just missing words.
Key findings
01Children with a larger gap in proficiency between their two languages switched more frequently to their stronger language.
02The most common form of switching was replying in English to a parent speaking Spanish, and this increased as the children's English dominance grew.
03Exposure to code-switching by parents and the complexity of the parent's speech were not consistent predictors of how often children switched languages.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study was conducted in a controlled setting where parents and children were instructed not to code-switch, so the natural frequency of switching in daily life is likely higher. Within-utterance switches were very rare, which limited the statistical power to test hypotheses about balanced proficiency. Exposure to code-switching was measured via diaries and self-reports for only a subsample of the children. The study did not measure cognitive factors, such as the mental effort required to speak in a weaker language, which may also drive switching.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that a child's code-switching is a behavior problem or a sign of language delay. The study shows that switching is a strategic choice linked to language dominance and the desire to express oneself clearly, not an inability to use the target language.