TY - JOUR
T1 - The role of bilingualism in paired-associate and cross-situational word learning
AU - Neveu, Anne
AU - Kaushanskaya, Margarita
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press.
PY - 2024/1/1
Y1 - 2024/1/1
N2 - In adulthood, novel words are commonly encountered in the context of sequential language learning, and to a lesser extent, when learning a new word in one's native language. Paired-associate (PAL) and cross-situational word learning (CSWL) paradigms have been studied separately, under distinct theoretical umbrellas, limiting the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the learning process in each. We tested 126 monolinguals and 111 bilinguals on PAL and CSWL, manipulating familiarity and measuring verbal working memory. Results revealed highly similar learning performance across groups, both demonstrating better performance in PAL than in CSWL, similar sensitivity to familiarity, and similar reliance on phonological working memory. We observed a trend such that bilinguals outperformed monolinguals in PAL but not in CSWL, but this trend was weak. Findings indicate limited effects of bilingualism on word learning in adulthood and suggest highly similar word learning mechanisms in learners with different linguistic experiences.
AB - In adulthood, novel words are commonly encountered in the context of sequential language learning, and to a lesser extent, when learning a new word in one's native language. Paired-associate (PAL) and cross-situational word learning (CSWL) paradigms have been studied separately, under distinct theoretical umbrellas, limiting the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the learning process in each. We tested 126 monolinguals and 111 bilinguals on PAL and CSWL, manipulating familiarity and measuring verbal working memory. Results revealed highly similar learning performance across groups, both demonstrating better performance in PAL than in CSWL, similar sensitivity to familiarity, and similar reliance on phonological working memory. We observed a trend such that bilinguals outperformed monolinguals in PAL but not in CSWL, but this trend was weak. Findings indicate limited effects of bilingualism on word learning in adulthood and suggest highly similar word learning mechanisms in learners with different linguistic experiences.
KW - Cross-situational word learning
KW - Paired-associate word learning
KW - bilingual adults
KW - phonological working memory
KW - word familiarity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85165631510&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1017/S1366728923000524
DO - 10.1017/S1366728923000524
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85165631510
SN - 1366-7289
VL - 27
SP - 41
EP - 56
JO - Bilingualism
JF - Bilingualism
IS - 1
ER -