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Modeling the Bilingual Phonological Idiolect Through a Translanguaging Lens
Brandon Garivaldo1, Leah Fabiano1
1Department of Communication Science and Disorders, University of Pittsburgh, PA.
American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology
|October 21, 2025
Summary
This study challenges the dual-systems hypothesis by using translanguaging to model bilingual phonology. Network analysis reveals a unitary phonological idiolect, not two separate systems, aiding in accurate speech disorder diagnosis for bilingual children.
Area of Science:
- Linguistics
- Speech-Language Pathology
- Psycholinguistics
Background:
- The dual-systems hypothesis posits bilinguals have two separate linguistic systems.
- Translanguaging offers a new perspective on bilingual language representation.
- Existing models may not fully capture the complexity of bilingual phonology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a theoretical model of bilingual phonological representation using translanguaging.
- To advance the understanding of bilingual phonological idiolects.
- To build upon the dual-systems model with a more integrated approach.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed phonetic inventories of 40 bilingual Spanish-English preschoolers.
- Calculated frequency of sound substitutions.
- Applied social network analysis to identify networks of phones.
Main Results:
- Network analysis revealed a unitary phonological idiolect, not two distinct systems.
- Identified systematic patterns and networks of speech sound substitutions.
- Developed metrics to predict frequent speech sound substitutions in bilingual children.
Conclusions:
- Bilingual phonological networks are interactive and complex, not separable into two systems.
- Network analysis can prevent misdiagnosis of speech sound disorders in bilingual children.
- Findings support a more integrated view of bilingual phonological representation.
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