Week 15

Question 1

Q: What is bilingualism?

Answer 1

A: Having proficiency in two (or more) languages across speaking, listening, reading, writing, and social use.

Question 2

Q: Does a bilingual person need equal skill in both languages?

Answer 2

A: No — bilinguals usually have one dominant language.

Question 3

Q: Why is bilingualism described as dynamic?

Answer 3

A: Proficiency in each language can change over the lifespan.

Question 4

Q: What is multilingualism?

Answer 4

A: A society or person using more than two languages.

Question 5

Q: What is a polyglot?

Answer 5

A: Someone proficient in more than two languages.

Question 6

Q: What % of Canadians speak both English and French (2016 census)?

Answer 6

A: About 17.9%.

Question 7

Q: What law made English and French official languages?

Answer 7

A: Official Languages Act (1969).

Question 8

Q: What did the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1982) guarantee?

Answer 8

A: Federal services in English/French + French education rights outside Québec.

Question 9

Q: What is the Canadian Multiculturalism Act (1988)?

Answer 9

A: Protects minority cultural and linguistic rights.

Question 10

Q: What are Indigenous languages?

Answer 10

A: Languages spoken by First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples.

Question 11

Q: What are immigrant languages?

Answer 11

A: Non-official languages brought by immigrants.

Question 12

Q: What factors affect bilingual development?

Answer 12

A:
1. Age of L2 exposure
2. Sociolinguistic status of L1/L2

Question 13

Q: Early vs late bilinguals?

Answer 13

Early: learned both in childhood
Late: learned L2 in adolescence/adulthood

Question 14

Q: Simultaneous bilinguals?

Answer 14

A: Learn both languages before age 2–3.

Question 15

Q: Early sequential bilinguals?

Answer 15

A: Learn L2 after age 2–3 but before adolescence.

Question 16

Q: What defines a majority language?

Answer 16

A: Widely spoken, high status, used in government/schools.

Question 17

Q: What defines a minority language?

Answer 17

A: Fewer speakers, lower status, limited institutional use.

Question 18

Q: Majority language in Canada?

Answer 18

A: English (French in Québec).

Question 19

Q: Two types of early sequential bilinguals?

Answer 19

A:
1.) Majority L1 – Minority L2 (ex: English → French immersion)
2.) Minority L1 – Majority L2 (ex: immigrant language → English)

Question 20

Q: Do bilingual children develop slower than monolinguals?

Answer 20

A: No — they reach milestones at similar ages, mainly in their dominant language.

Question 21

Q: First word milestone?

Answer 21

A: Around 12 months.

Question 22

Q: Two-word combinations?

Answer 22

A: 18–24 months.

Question 23

Q: Why do bilingual kids sometimes lag in vocabulary early on?

Answer 23

A: They’re building two linguistic systems.

Question 24

Q: What is a dominant language?

Answer 24

A: The language a bilingual knows best overall.

Question 25

Q: What is a balanced bilingual?

Answer 25

A: Equal proficiency in both languages (rare).

Question 26

Q: Three factors determining dominance?

Answer 26

A: Input, proficiency, preference.

Question 27

Q: What is dominant language shift?

Answer 27

A: Switching dominance to the community majority language (often after starting school).

Question 28

Q: What is cross-linguistic influence?

Answer 28

A: One language affecting the other during acquisition.

Question 29

Q: Does transfer happen often?

Answer 29

A: It occurs, but most bilingual speech looks like monolingual speech.

Question 30

Q: Example of adjective transfer?

Answer 30

A: “The house red” (French → English).

Question 31

Q: Which language usually transfers?

Answer 31

A: The dominant language → non-dominant.

Question 32

Q: What is code-switching?

Answer 32

A: Using two languages in one sentence or conversation.

Question 33

Q: Why do bilinguals code-switch?

Answer 33

A: Emphasis, identity, faster access to words, better meaning.

Question 34

Q: Two types of code-switching?

Answer 34

1. Single-word switches 2. Syntactic switches

Question 35

Q: Which is more common? Single or syntactic word switches

Answer 35

A: Single-word switches.

Question 36

Q: What affects children’s code-switching?

Answer 36

A: Proficiency + who they’re talking to.

Question 37

Q: What is a heritage language?

Answer 37

A: A minority language spoken in a majority-language society.

Question 38

Q: How long are heritage languages typically passed down?

Answer 38

A: About three generations.

Question 39

Q: What is additive bilingualism?

Answer 39

A: L2 strengthens L1 (both supported).

Question 40

Q: What is subtractive bilingualism?

Answer 40

A: L2 replaces or weakens L1.

Question 41

Q: What is heritage language attrition?

Answer 41

A: Loss of proficiency in the heritage language over time.

Question 42

Q: Factors supporting heritage language retention?

Answer 42

A: Parent use, classes, community support, cultural value.

Question 43

Q: What cognitive advantage do bilingual children often show?

Answer 43

A: Greater metalinguistic awareness.

Question 44

Q: What is metalinguistic awareness?

Answer 44

A: Ability to think about language as an object.

Question 45

Q: Why does knowing “dog” and “chien” matter?

Answer 45

A: Shows words aren’t tied directly to meaning.

Question 46

Q: What is immersion education?

Answer 46

A: Most subjects taught in L2 early, L1 added later.

Question 47

Q: What is bilingual education?

Answer 47

A: Subjects taught equally in both languages.

Question 48

Q: Is French immersion additive or subtractive?

Answer 48

Additive

Question 49

Q: Benefits of bilingual/heritage education?

Answer 49

A: Stronger identity, L1 maintenance, less attrition, language revitalization.