Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 18, 2025
05:31
Examining Bilingual Language Control Using the Stroop Task
Published on: February 26, 2020
15.2K
Multilingual toddlers' vocabulary development in two languages: Comparing bilinguals and trilinguals
Stephanie L Côté1,2, Ana Maria Gonzalez-Barrero1,2, Krista Byers-Heinlein1,2
1Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Canada.
Journal of Child Language
|February 10, 2021
Summary
This study examined how learning multiple languages impacts toddlers' vocabulary. While trilingual toddlers had smaller vocabularies than bilinguals, input quantity played a key role in language development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Linguistics
- Child Language Acquisition
Background:
- Children frequently acquire multiple languages from an early age.
- Understanding factors influencing multilingual vocabulary development is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the productive vocabulary of bilingual and trilingual toddlers.
- To investigate the effect of the number of languages on vocabulary size.
Main Methods:
- A pre-registered study compared bilingual (n=170) and trilingual (n=20) toddlers (17-33 months).
- Participants were from a French-English bilingual community.
- Productive vocabularies in French and English were assessed.
Main Results:
- Trilingual toddlers produced fewer French-English words than bilinguals (average 2/3).
- This difference was not statistically significant due to high variability.
- Vocabulary size correlated with language input quantity.
Conclusions:
- Language input quantity is a significant factor in toddler vocabulary development.
- Similar factors influence vocabulary acquisition regardless of the number of languages learned.
More Related Videos
06:35Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm
Published on: April 28, 2016
34.8K
10:11Portable Intermodal Preferential Looking IPL: Investigating Language Comprehension in Typically Developing Toddlers and Young Children with Autism
Published on: December 14, 2012
18.8K
Related Concept Videos
01:22Language Development
628
Children master language quickly and with relative ease, supported by both biological predisposition and reinforcement. B. F. Skinner (1957) proposed that language is learned through reinforcement, while Noam Chomsky (1965) argued that language acquisition mechanisms are biologically determined.
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
628
01:27Language and Cognition
551
Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
551
01:24Components of Language
573
Language, whether spoken, signed, or written, consists of specific components: lexicon and grammar. The lexicon is the vocabulary of a language, comprising its words. Grammar is the set of rules used to convey meaning through the lexicon. For example, English grammar adds “-ed” to most verbs to indicate past tense. Words are formed by combining phonemes, which are the basic sound units of a language. Different languages have different sets of phonemes (e.g., “ah” vs.
573
01:10Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language
2.4K
Language is a system of communication that allows the expression of thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The brain processes language in both hemispheres.
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
2.4K
01:22Vygotsky's Cognitive Development in Cultural Context
543
Lev Vygotsky, a pioneering Russian psychologist, developed a theory of cognitive development that centers on the influence of social and cultural factors. Unlike Jean Piaget, who emphasized the child's direct interaction with the physical world as key to development, Vygotsky argued that cognitive growth is an interpersonal process that unfolds within a cultural context. For Vygotsky, a child's learning cannot be separated from their social environment, which includes the values,...
543
01:29Three Developmental Domains
722
Human development is typically examined across three main domains: physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional. These domains represent the significant areas of change and continuity throughout the lifespan, from infancy to late adulthood.
Physical Development
Physical processes, also known as maturation, encompass the biological changes that occur across an individual's life. These changes begin with genetic inheritance and continue through various stages, including growth in height and weight,...
Physical Development
Physical processes, also known as maturation, encompass the biological changes that occur across an individual's life. These changes begin with genetic inheritance and continue through various stages, including growth in height and weight,...
722