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The Complementary Principle and Language Dominance: Mapping the Language-Domain Relationships of Spanish-English Bilinguals

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Title: The Complementary Principle and Language Dominance: Mapping the Language-Domain Relationships of Spanish-English Bilinguals
Language: English
Authors: Daniel J. Olson (ORCID 0000-0002-7113-6699), Lori Czerwionka (ORCID 0000-0002-9637-831X)
Source: Multilingua: Journal of Cross-Cultural and Interlanguage Communication. 2025 44(2):205-237.
Availability: De Gruyter Mouton. Available from: Walter de Gruyter, Inc. 121 High Street, Third Floor, Boston, MA 02110. Tel: 857-284-7073; Fax: 857-284-7358; e-mail: service@degruyter.com; Web site: http://www.degruyter.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 33
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Language Dominance, Bilingualism, Language Usage, Second Language Learning, Native Language, Spanish, Correlation, Cues, Code Switching (Language), English (Second Language), Family Environment, Work Environment, Educational Environment, Language Variation, Participant Characteristics, Language Attitudes
DOI: 10.1515/multi-2024-0079
ISSN: 0167-8507
1613-3684
Abstract: While language dominance has been crucial in the study of bilingualism, recent research has called for more detailed measures to systematically account for the observation that bilinguals use different languages in different domains, a phenomenon formalized in the Complementary Principle. Few studies have systematically measured these language-domain relationships. Addressing these gaps, this study employs a novel, mixed-methods approach to identify the links between domain (i.e., topic) and language and to examine the effect of language dominance on language-domain relationships. Spanish-English bilinguals in the U.S. (N = 443) responded to open-ended prompts about the topics they discuss in each of their two languages and when code-switching. A qualitative thematic analysis was used to identify relevant topic categories and examine the relationships between topic and language. Subsequent analysis examined variability in language-domain mappings of bilinguals from across the language dominance continuum. Results showed that Spanish was most associated with topics of family and day-to-day life and English with academics and work. Little differentiation in language-domain mappings was found between English-dominant, Spanish-dominant, and balanced bilinguals. Findings are discussed with a focus on the methodological contributions and the implications for integrating the Complementary Principle in measures of language dominance.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1461985
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: The Complementary Principle and Language Dominance: Mapping the Language-Domain Relationships of Spanish-English Bilinguals
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Daniel+J%2E+Olson%22">Daniel J. Olson</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7113-6699">0000-0002-7113-6699</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lori+Czerwionka%22">Lori Czerwionka</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9637-831X">0000-0002-9637-831X</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Multilingua%3A+Journal+of+Cross-Cultural+and+Interlanguage+Communication%22"><i>Multilingua: Journal of Cross-Cultural and Interlanguage Communication</i></searchLink>. 2025 44(2):205-237.
– Name: Avail
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  Data: De Gruyter Mouton. Available from: Walter de Gruyter, Inc. 121 High Street, Third Floor, Boston, MA 02110. Tel: 857-284-7073; Fax: 857-284-7358; e-mail: service@degruyter.com; Web site: http://www.degruyter.com
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 33
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Dominance%22">Language Dominance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bilingualism%22">Bilingualism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Usage%22">Language Usage</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Second+Language+Learning%22">Second Language Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Native+Language%22">Native Language</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Spanish%22">Spanish</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Correlation%22">Correlation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cues%22">Cues</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Code+Switching+%28Language%29%22">Code Switching (Language)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English+%28Second+Language%29%22">English (Second Language)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Family+Environment%22">Family Environment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Work+Environment%22">Work Environment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Environment%22">Educational Environment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Variation%22">Language Variation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Participant+Characteristics%22">Participant Characteristics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Attitudes%22">Language Attitudes</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1515/multi-2024-0079
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  Data: 0167-8507<br />1613-3684
– Name: Abstract
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  Data: While language dominance has been crucial in the study of bilingualism, recent research has called for more detailed measures to systematically account for the observation that bilinguals use different languages in different domains, a phenomenon formalized in the Complementary Principle. Few studies have systematically measured these language-domain relationships. Addressing these gaps, this study employs a novel, mixed-methods approach to identify the links between domain (i.e., topic) and language and to examine the effect of language dominance on language-domain relationships. Spanish-English bilinguals in the U.S. (N = 443) responded to open-ended prompts about the topics they discuss in each of their two languages and when code-switching. A qualitative thematic analysis was used to identify relevant topic categories and examine the relationships between topic and language. Subsequent analysis examined variability in language-domain mappings of bilinguals from across the language dominance continuum. Results showed that Spanish was most associated with topics of family and day-to-day life and English with academics and work. Little differentiation in language-domain mappings was found between English-dominant, Spanish-dominant, and balanced bilinguals. Findings are discussed with a focus on the methodological contributions and the implications for integrating the Complementary Principle in measures of language dominance.
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        Value: 10.1515/multi-2024-0079
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 33
        StartPage: 205
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Language Dominance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Bilingualism
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      – SubjectFull: Language Usage
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      – SubjectFull: Second Language Learning
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      – SubjectFull: Native Language
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      – SubjectFull: Spanish
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      – SubjectFull: Code Switching (Language)
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      – SubjectFull: English (Second Language)
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      – SubjectFull: Family Environment
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      – SubjectFull: Educational Environment
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      – SubjectFull: Language Variation
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      – SubjectFull: Participant Characteristics
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      – SubjectFull: Language Attitudes
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      – TitleFull: The Complementary Principle and Language Dominance: Mapping the Language-Domain Relationships of Spanish-English Bilinguals
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