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On the Role of Informal vs. Formal Context of Language Experience in Italian–German Primary School Children

Piccione, Mariapaola ; Ferin, Maria Francesca ; Furlani, Noemi ; Geiss, Miriam ; Marinis, Theodoros and Kupisch, Tanja LU (2024) In Languages 9(2)(63).
Abstract
This study focuses on the contexts of language experience in relation to language dominance in eighty-seven Italian–German primary school children in Germany using the MAIN narrative task. We compare current language experience in the heritage language (Italian) and the majority language (German) in both formal and informal settings, and we examine the respective impact on micro- and macrostructure measures, including different language domains. Some previous findings emphasized the importance of language experience in formal contexts. By contrast, our results suggest that, in particular, language experience in informal contexts determines vocabulary and fluency in the heritage and majority language, while there are no effects of exposure... (More)
This study focuses on the contexts of language experience in relation to language dominance in eighty-seven Italian–German primary school children in Germany using the MAIN narrative task. We compare current language experience in the heritage language (Italian) and the majority language (German) in both formal and informal settings, and we examine the respective impact on micro- and macrostructure measures, including different language domains. Some previous findings emphasized the importance of language experience in formal contexts. By contrast, our results suggest that, in particular, language experience in informal contexts determines vocabulary and fluency in the heritage and majority language, while there are no effects of exposure on syntactic complexity. Furthermore, while the younger children are relatively balanced, the older children are more dominant in the societal language. Our findings imply that the use of the minority language in informal contexts should be encouraged to promote its development and maintenance. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
bilingualism, language dominance, language experience, narratives, proficiency
in
Languages
volume
9(2)
issue
63
pages
20 pages
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • scopus:85187282080
ISSN
2226-471X
DOI
10.3390/languages9020063
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
0c6a81b4-db51-4165-ba7b-65f89ab336d6
date added to LUP
2024-10-25 14:32:55
date last changed
2025-04-04 13:51:56
@article{0c6a81b4-db51-4165-ba7b-65f89ab336d6,
  abstract     = {{This study focuses on the contexts of language experience in relation to language dominance in eighty-seven Italian–German primary school children in Germany using the MAIN narrative task. We compare current language experience in the heritage language (Italian) and the majority language (German) in both formal and informal settings, and we examine the respective impact on micro- and macrostructure measures, including different language domains. Some previous findings emphasized the importance of language experience in formal contexts. By contrast, our results suggest that, in particular, language experience in informal contexts determines vocabulary and fluency in the heritage and majority language, while there are no effects of exposure on syntactic complexity. Furthermore, while the younger children are relatively balanced, the older children are more dominant in the societal language. Our findings imply that the use of the minority language in informal contexts should be encouraged to promote its development and maintenance.}},
  author       = {{Piccione, Mariapaola and Ferin, Maria Francesca and Furlani, Noemi and Geiss, Miriam and Marinis, Theodoros and Kupisch, Tanja}},
  issn         = {{2226-471X}},
  keywords     = {{bilingualism; language dominance; language experience; narratives; proficiency}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{63}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{Languages}},
  title        = {{On the Role of Informal vs. Formal Context of Language Experience in Italian–German Primary School Children}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/languages9020063}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/languages9020063}},
  volume       = {{9(2)}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}