View in EDS PDF Full Text

The Dimensionality of Language in Spanish–English Bilingual Children.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: The Dimensionality of Language in Spanish–English Bilingual Children.
Authors: Ronderos, Juliana1 jrondero@bu.edu, Castilla-Earls, Anny2, Hernandez, Arturo E.3, Fitton, Lisa4
Source: Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research. May2025, Vol. 68 Issue 5, p2423-2452. 30p.
Subject Terms: *Comparative grammar, *Phonological awareness, *Factor analysis, *Theory, *Language acquisition, Multilingualism in children, Pearson correlation (Statistics), Speech, Research funding, Descriptive statistics, Chi-squared test, Spanish language, Mathematical models, Statistics, English language, Semantics
Abstract: Purpose: This study investigated the dimensionality of language in bilingual children using measures of semantics and morphosyntax in English and Spanish. Method: Participants included 112 Spanish–English bilingual children ages 4– 8 years from a wide range of language abilities and dominance profiles. Using measures of semantics and morphosyntax from both norm-referenced assessments and language samples, we evaluated the structure of language in bilingual children. We used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to estimate dimensionality, comparing seven primary models that represented different theoretical structures of language in bilinguals. Results: Although none of the models analyzed yielded good fit across all indices evaluated, the best-fitting CFA model was a two–correlated factor model with separate factors for Spanish and English, which included measures from only norm-referenced assessments. Conclusions: Language in Spanish–English children seems to represent two related but distinct constructs, even in bilinguals from a wide range of language abilities and dominance profiles. Clarifying how language in bilinguals is conceptualized and impacted by the concurrent development of two languages is an area that requires further research. Understanding the dimensionality of language in bilinguals can further assist our knowledge of how language develops in bilingual children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: ehh
DbLabel: Education Research Complete
An: 185140629
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: The Dimensionality of Language in Spanish–English Bilingual Children.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ronderos%2C+Juliana%22">Ronderos, Juliana</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> jrondero@bu.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Castilla-Earls%2C+Anny%22">Castilla-Earls, Anny</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hernandez%2C+Arturo+E%2E%22">Hernandez, Arturo E.</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fitton%2C+Lisa%22">Fitton, Lisa</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Speech%2C+Language+%26+Hearing+Research%22">Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research</searchLink>. May2025, Vol. 68 Issue 5, p2423-2452. 30p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subject Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Comparative+grammar%22">Comparative grammar</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Phonological+awareness%22">Phonological awareness</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Factor+analysis%22">Factor analysis</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Theory%22">Theory</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+acquisition%22">Language acquisition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Multilingualism+in+children%22">Multilingualism in children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pearson+correlation+%28Statistics%29%22">Pearson correlation (Statistics)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Speech%22">Speech</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Chi-squared+test%22">Chi-squared test</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Spanish+language%22">Spanish language</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematical+models%22">Mathematical models</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistics%22">Statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English+language%22">English language</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Semantics%22">Semantics</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Purpose: This study investigated the dimensionality of language in bilingual children using measures of semantics and morphosyntax in English and Spanish. Method: Participants included 112 Spanish–English bilingual children ages 4– 8 years from a wide range of language abilities and dominance profiles. Using measures of semantics and morphosyntax from both norm-referenced assessments and language samples, we evaluated the structure of language in bilingual children. We used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to estimate dimensionality, comparing seven primary models that represented different theoretical structures of language in bilinguals. Results: Although none of the models analyzed yielded good fit across all indices evaluated, the best-fitting CFA model was a two–correlated factor model with separate factors for Spanish and English, which included measures from only norm-referenced assessments. Conclusions: Language in Spanish–English children seems to represent two related but distinct constructs, even in bilinguals from a wide range of language abilities and dominance profiles. Clarifying how language in bilinguals is conceptualized and impacted by the concurrent development of two languages is an area that requires further research. Understanding the dimensionality of language in bilinguals can further assist our knowledge of how language develops in bilingual children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=185140629
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-23-00771
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 30
        StartPage: 2423
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Comparative grammar
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Phonological awareness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Factor analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Theory
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Language acquisition
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Multilingualism in children
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pearson correlation (Statistics)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Speech
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research funding
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Chi-squared test
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Spanish language
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mathematical models
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: English language
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Semantics
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: The Dimensionality of Language in Spanish–English Bilingual Children.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Ronderos, Juliana
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Castilla-Earls, Anny
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Hernandez, Arturo E.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Fitton, Lisa
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 05
              Text: May2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 10924388
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 68
            – Type: issue
              Value: 5
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research
              Type: main
ResultId 1