Identifying partially schematic units in the code-mixing of an English and German speaking child

Quick AE, Lieven E, Carpenter M, Tomasello M (2018)

Publication Type: Journal article, Review article

Publication year: 2018

Journal

Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism John Benjamins Publishing Company

Book Volume: 8

Pages Range: 477-501

Journal Issue: 4

DOI: 10.1075/lab.15049.qui

Abstract

Intra-sentential code-mixing presents a number of puzzles for theories of bilingualism. In this paper, we examine the code-mixed English-German utterances of a young English-German-Spanish trilingual child between 1;10 – 3;1, using both an extensive diary kept by the mother and audio recordings. We address the interplay between lexical and syntactic aspects of language use outlined in the usage-based approach (e.g. Tomasello, 2003). The data suggest that partially schematic constructions play an important role in the code-mixing of this child. In addition, we find, first, that the code-mixing was not mainly the result of lexical gaps. Second, there was more mixing of German function words than content words. Third, code-mixed utterances often consisted of the use of a partially schematic construction with the open slot filled by material from the other language. These results raise a number of important issues for all theoretical approaches to code mixing, which we discuss.

Involved external institutions

Universität Leipzig DE Germany (DE) University of Manchester GB United Kingdom (GB) University of St Andrews GB United Kingdom (GB) Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology / Max-Planck-Institut für evolutionäre Anthropologie DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Quick, A.E., Lieven, E., Carpenter, M., & Tomasello, M. (2018). Identifying partially schematic units in the code-mixing of an English and German speaking child. Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism, 8(4), 477-501. https://doi.org/10.1075/lab.15049.qui

MLA:

Quick, Antje Endesfelder, et al. "Identifying partially schematic units in the code-mixing of an English and German speaking child." Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism 8.4 (2018): 477-501.

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