The receptive-expressive gap in the vocabulary of young second-language learners: Robustness and possible mechanisms
Abstract
Adults and children learning a second language show difficulty accessing expressive vocabulary that appears accessible receptively in their first language (L1). We call this discrepancy the receptive-expressive gap. Kindergarten Spanish (L1)-English (L2) sequential bilinguals were given standardized tests of receptive and expressive vocabulary in both Spanish and English. We found a small receptive-expressive gap in English but a large receptive-expressive gap in Spanish. We categorized children as having had high or low levels of English exposure based on demographic variables and found that the receptive-expressive gap persisted across both levels of English exposure. Regression analyses revealed that variables predicting both receptive and expressive vocabulary scores failed to predict the receptive-expressive gap. The results suggest that the onset of the receptive-expressive gap in L1 may have been abrupt. We discuss possible mechanisms underlying the phenomenon. © 2011 Cambridge University Press.
Publication Title
Bilingualism
Recommended Citation
Gibson, T., Oller, D., Jarmulowicz, L., & Ethington, C. (2012). The receptive-expressive gap in the vocabulary of young second-language learners: Robustness and possible mechanisms. Bilingualism, 15 (1), 102-116. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1366728910000490
