University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA.
Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch. 2012 Apr;43(2):191-204. doi: 10.1044/0161-1461(2011/10-0022). Epub 2012 Jan 23.
Cross-linguistic cognates are words that share form and meaning in two languages (e.g., helicopter-helicóptero); translation equivalents are words that share meaning but not form (e.g., house-casa). Research consistently demonstrates a performance speed and/or accuracy advantage for processing cognates versus noncognates in bilingual adults; studies with children are limited, with equivocal results. We investigated the potential for a cognate advantage for processing expressive and receptive vocabulary in the spoken (vs. written) modality in typically developing Spanish-speaking English-language learners (ELLs).
Thirty 8- to 13-year-old native Spanish-speaking children learning English as their second language completed standardized vocabulary tests in spoken English. Each test item was classified as a cognate or noncognate based on phonological overlap with its Spanish translation. Group and individual analyses were used to examine the effects of cognates.
At the group level, children's test scores were higher for items that were classified as cognates as compared to noncognates of comparable difficulty. However, not all children demonstrated this cognate advantage. Age predicted significant amounts of variance in cognate performance on the receptive test.
Overall, typically developing Spanish-speaking school-age ELL students demonstrated a cognate advantage. There was also considerable within-group variation in performance. Clinical implications are discussed, and directions for future study are provided.
跨语言同源词是指在两种语言中具有相同形式和含义的词汇（例如，helicopter-helicóptero）；翻译等价词是指具有相同含义但形式不同的词汇（例如，house-casa）。研究一致表明，双语成年人在处理同源词与非同源词时，在处理速度和/或准确性方面具有优势；针对儿童的研究有限，结果也存在争议。我们调查了在以西班牙语为母语的英语学习者（ELL）中，口语（而非书面语）模式下处理表达性和接受性词汇时，同源词是否具有潜在优势。
30 名 8 至 13 岁的以西班牙语为母语的儿童正在学习英语作为第二语言，他们完成了英语口语标准化词汇测试。根据与西班牙语翻译的语音重叠，每个测试项目被归类为同源词或非同源词。使用组和个体分析来检查同源词的影响。
在组水平上，与具有可比难度的非同源词相比，儿童对被归类为同源词的测试项目的得分更高。然而，并非所有儿童都表现出这种同源词优势。年龄可以预测接受性测试中同源词表现的显著差异。
总体而言，发育正常的以西班牙语为母语的学龄 ELL 学生表现出了同源词优势。在表现上也存在相当大的组内差异。讨论了临床意义，并提供了未来研究的方向。
