First Language Attrition Of Lexical Structures In A Contact Situation With English: A Study Among Anaañ Bilingual Child
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14738/assrj.56.4512Abstract
This study examined first language (L1) Attrition of lexical items among bilingual children within Abak metropolis, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. First language (L1) attrition is the disintegration of the first language as a result of contact with second language (L2) or domination of the second language. The theories of language contact and language change and psycholinguistic question of accessibility is the theoretical framework for the study. An expo-facto design was used in the study and a purposive sampling was used to select 70 children from primary and secondary school of ages between 7 and 14 years who speak both English and Anaañ languages. Personality Background Questionnaire (PBQ), Ibadan Word list of 400 basic items and Picture Naming Task (PNT) were used to collect data for the study. This paper reveals that L1 attrition occurs as a result of non-constant usage of the L1 both at home and in school. Early exposure of the children to L2 also impedes their ability to fully develop the language of their mother tongue and consequently results in L1 attrition. The paper concludes that frequent use of L2, negative attitude to L1, motivation and age are the main reasons for lexical attrition in children. It is therefore recommended that the use of L1 by parents with their children at home be encouraged and L1 be included in the school curriculum for pupils and students at primary and secondary schools in order to prevent L1 attrition.
References
Akabogu,J.U., & Mbah, B.M. (2013). Second language acquisition, Attrition of indigenous Languages in Nigeria: Cultural implications. 10SR Journal of Humanities and social Sciences. (10SR-JHSS).vol. 13. Pp 01-05
Anderson, R.W. (1982). Determining the linguistic attributes of language attrition. In R.D.Lambert & B.F.Fred (eds.), The loss of language skills. Rowley, MA: New bury House publishers.
Ammerlaan, T. (1996). “You get a bit wobbly…Exploring, bilingual lexical retrieval Processes in the context of language attrition”. PhD dissertation, katholieke universiteit Nigemegen. Online version, Retrieved: November, 2017.
Brainbridge, S. B. (2014). Second language acquisition and current trends in Japan, the cultural risks. Journal roll.Enging Nohon University. Retrieved from online version: www.researchgate.net.
Chomsky, N. (1985). The minimalist Program. Cambridge: MIT Press.
De Bot, K., & Hulsen, M. (2002). Language Attrition: tests, self-assessments and perceptions, International journal of Bilingualism 8, 321 – 345
Dominguez, L. (2013). Understanding Interfaces Second Language Acquisition and first Language Attrition of Spanish subject realization and word order variation. Amsterdam: John Benjamin’s publishing Company.
Field, J. (2004). Psycholinguistics: The Key concepts. London: Routledge.
Freed, B.F. (1983). Language loss: Current thoughts and future direction. In R.D. Lambert & B.F. Freed (Eds.) The loss of Language skills, Rowley, M.A. Newbury House.
Gordon, R. (2005). Ethnologue:Language of the world, Dallas, Tex: SIL International online version. Retrieved on November, 2017
Genesee, F. & Nicoladis, E. (2001). Bilingual First Language Acquisition. Online version- www. Psych.mcgll.ca. Retrieved on November, 2017
Green, D. W. (1986). Control, Activation and Resource: A framework and a Model for the Control of Speech in Bilinguals. Brain and Language, 27,210-223
Hansen, L. & Reetz-Kurashige, A. (1999). Investigating second language Attrition: An Introduction. In Hansel, L. (Ed) Second language attrition in Japanse contexts. New York: Oxford University press, inc.
Jamshidiha, H., & Marefat, H. (2006). L1 Perian Attrition University of Tehran, Iran in Linguistics Journal, vol1. Retrieved from www.linguistics.journal.com on November 2017 Kari, E.E. (2015). Morphology: An Introduction to the study of word structure. Port Harcourt: University of Port Harcourt Press Ltd.
Kopke, B. (2004). Neurolinguistic aspects of attrition. Journal of Neurolinguistics 17, 3.30
Kim, S.H. (2007). First Language attrition in a second language learning environment: The case of Korean-English late Bilinguals. Doctoral Dissertation at the University of Auckland. Online version. Retrieved; September, 2017
Kaufman (2001). “Tales of L1 Attrition: Evidence from Pre-puberty children.” In T. Ammerlaan, M., Hulsen, H. Strating and K. Yagmur (eds), sociolinguistic and psycholinguistic perspectives on maintenance and loss of minority languages. Münster: Waxmann. Verlay GmbH.
Kopke, B. & Schmid, M.S. (2004). First Language attrition: in M.S. Schmid, B. Koke, M. Keijzer, M.& L. Weilemar (Eds.), First Language attrition: Interdisciplinary perspectives on methodological issues. Amsterdam: John Benjamins
Lambert, R.D. & Freed, B.R. (1982). The loss of language skills. Rowley, Massach Ussetts Newbury House publishers.
Paradis, M. (1993). Linguistic, psycholinguistic, and neurolinguistic aspects of ‘interference’ in Bilingual speakers: The Activation Threshold Hypothesis. International Journal of Psycholinguistics 9 (2), 133-145
Paradis, M. (1985). On the representation of two languages in one brain. Language sciences. International journal of psycholinguistics 7:1-39
Paradis, M. (2001). An integrated neurolinguistic Theory of Bilingualism. LACUS Forum, 27:5-15
Pavelenko, A. (2004). L2 influence and L1 attrition in adult bilingualism. In Schmid, M.S.,Kopke, B., Keijzer, M., & Weilemar, L. (eds). First language attrition: interdisciplinary perspectives on methodological issues. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 47-59
Romaine, S. (1989). The language of the children and Adolescents. Oxford: Basil Blackwell
Ritchie, W.C. & Bhatia, T.K.(2013). The handbook of Bilingualism and Multilingualism. West Sussex: John Wiley & sons. Ltd. Publication
Schmid, M.S. & de Bot, K. (2004). Language attrition. In a Davies & C. Elder (Eds). The Handbook of Applied Linguistics. Oxford: Blackwell publishing
Schmid, M.S. (2011). Language attrition. New York: Cambridge University press
Schmid. M.S. & Kӧpke, B. (2007). Bilingualism and attrition. In B.Kӧpke, M.S. Schmid, M. Keijzer & S. Dostert (es) language attrition: Theoretical perspective PP-1-8. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Schmid, A. (1991).Language attrition. In linguist in Buoma Fijan and vago (eds). First language Attrition. Cambridge: CUP
Seliger, H.L. (1996). Primary language acquisition in the context of bilinguals. In Ritchie,W.C., & Bhatia, T.K. (eds) Handbook of second language acquisition. San Diego, C.A: Academic press, 605-626.
Seliger, H.W. & Vago, R.M. (1991). “The study of First Language Attrition: An overview”. In Selinger, H.W. & Vago, R.M. Vago (Eds.) First language attrition: Structural and Theoretical Perspectives. New York: Cambridge University Press
Smith, S. (1985). The Minimalist Program. Cambridge: MIT Press
