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Language Acquisition in a Multilingual Society: English Vocabulary Norms and Predictors in Singaporean Children

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Language Acquisition in a Multilingual Society: English Vocabulary Norms and Predictors in Singaporean Children
Language: English
Authors: Singh, Leher (ORCID 0000-0001-9423-4956), Cheng, QiQi (ORCID 0000-0002-2295-330X), Tan, Seok Hui, Tan, Agnes, Low, Yen Ling
Source: Child Development. Jan-Feb 2022 93(1):288-305.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 18
Publication Date: 2022
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Infants, Child Development, Language Acquisition, Socioeconomic Status, Vocabulary Development, Predictor Variables, Multilingualism, Language Skills, Measures (Individuals), English, Mandarin Chinese, Indonesian Languages, Foreign Countries
Geographic Terms: Singapore
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory
DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13676
ISSN: 0009-3920
Abstract: In this study, infant vocabulary development was tracked in a multilingual society (Singapore) within a socioeconomically diverse sample. The sample comprised 1316 infants from 17.4 to 27.7 months (669 females, 647 males; 88% Chinese race, 4% Malay, 4% Indian, and 0.004% mixed-race [4% declined to provide race information]). Children varied in English language exposure and socioeconomic status. Analyses focused on identifying demographic predictors of English vocabulary size in multilingually exposed infants. Adaptations of the Macarthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory for English, Mandarin, and Malay are provided as well as English vocabulary norms that account for variation in English exposure. This manuscript reports the first set of English language norms--calibrated to English exposure--for multilingual infants in a non-Western setting.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2022
Accession Number: EJ1327059
Database: ERIC
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Abstract:In this study, infant vocabulary development was tracked in a multilingual society (Singapore) within a socioeconomically diverse sample. The sample comprised 1316 infants from 17.4 to 27.7 months (669 females, 647 males; 88% Chinese race, 4% Malay, 4% Indian, and 0.004% mixed-race [4% declined to provide race information]). Children varied in English language exposure and socioeconomic status. Analyses focused on identifying demographic predictors of English vocabulary size in multilingually exposed infants. Adaptations of the Macarthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory for English, Mandarin, and Malay are provided as well as English vocabulary norms that account for variation in English exposure. This manuscript reports the first set of English language norms--calibrated to English exposure--for multilingual infants in a non-Western setting.
ISSN:0009-3920
DOI:10.1111/cdev.13676