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Asymmetric semantic interaction in Jedek-Jahai bilinguals : Spatial language in a small-scale, non-standardized, egalitarian, long-term multilingual setting in Malaysia

Yager, Joanne LU and Gullberg, Marianne LU orcid (2020) In International Journal of Bilingualism 24(3). p.492-507
Abstract
Aims and objectives/purpose/research questions:
We investigate semantic interaction in bilinguals’ topological relations descriptions in a small-scale, non-standardized, egalitarian, long-term multilingual setting in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach:
Two groups of bilingual speakers of Jedek and Jahai (8 Jedek-identifying, 6 Jahai-identifying bilinguals) and two groups of monolingual Jedek and Jahai speakers (15 Jedek, 3 Jahai speakers) described the Topological Relations Picture Series in a director-matcher task, the bilinguals completing the task in both Jedek and Jahai.
Data and analysis:

We compare the semantic boundaries of Jedek and Jahai topological relation markers (TRMs) as used by the... (More)
Aims and objectives/purpose/research questions:
We investigate semantic interaction in bilinguals’ topological relations descriptions in a small-scale, non-standardized, egalitarian, long-term multilingual setting in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach:
Two groups of bilingual speakers of Jedek and Jahai (8 Jedek-identifying, 6 Jahai-identifying bilinguals) and two groups of monolingual Jedek and Jahai speakers (15 Jedek, 3 Jahai speakers) described the Topological Relations Picture Series in a director-matcher task, the bilinguals completing the task in both Jedek and Jahai.
Data and analysis:

We compare the semantic boundaries of Jedek and Jahai topological relation markers (TRMs) as used by the monolingual and bilingual groups in extension maps and congruence analyses. The analyses focus on the TRM klɛŋ, which is identical in form but semantically different in the two varieties.
Findings/conclusions:

We find evidence for asymmetric interaction in the expression of topological relations in Jedek and Jahai, with bidirectional influences in the Jahai-identifying bilinguals and a unidirectional influence of Jedek on Jahai in the Jedek-identifying bilinguals. This is commensurate with predictions based on Muysken’s framework of bilingual optimization strategies.
Originality:

The analyses shed new light on the nature of semantic interaction in bilingual systems by providing evidence from hitherto understudied bilingual language production in small-scale, non-standardized, egalitarian settings.
Significance/implications:

The results suggest that Muysken’s model is useful for understanding different bilingual outcomes, and highlight the complexity and connectedness of bilingual semantic systems. They also stress the need for more work in a variety of bilingual settings if we are to more fully understand the nature of bilingual systems. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Jahai, Jedek, crosslinguistic influence, semantic interaction, topological relations, egalitarian bilingualism, bilingualism
in
International Journal of Bilingualism
volume
24
issue
3
pages
492 - 507
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • scopus:85065527876
ISSN
1367-0069
DOI
10.1177/1367006918814378
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3bec5eef-82c7-4b94-a987-241b43684d0b
date added to LUP
2018-01-02 12:38:12
date last changed
2023-12-01 23:43:10
@article{3bec5eef-82c7-4b94-a987-241b43684d0b,
  abstract     = {{Aims and objectives/purpose/research questions:<br/>We investigate semantic interaction in bilinguals’ topological relations descriptions in a small-scale, non-standardized, egalitarian, long-term multilingual setting in Malaysia.<br/><br/>Design/methodology/approach:<br/>Two groups of bilingual speakers of Jedek and Jahai (8 Jedek-identifying, 6 Jahai-identifying bilinguals) and two groups of monolingual Jedek and Jahai speakers (15 Jedek, 3 Jahai speakers) described the Topological Relations Picture Series in a director-matcher task, the bilinguals completing the task in both Jedek and Jahai.<br/>Data and analysis:<br/><br/>We compare the semantic boundaries of Jedek and Jahai topological relation markers (TRMs) as used by the monolingual and bilingual groups in extension maps and congruence analyses. The analyses focus on the TRM klɛŋ, which is identical in form but semantically different in the two varieties.<br/>Findings/conclusions:<br/><br/>We find evidence for asymmetric interaction in the expression of topological relations in Jedek and Jahai, with bidirectional influences in the Jahai-identifying bilinguals and a unidirectional influence of Jedek on Jahai in the Jedek-identifying bilinguals. This is commensurate with predictions based on Muysken’s framework of bilingual optimization strategies.<br/>Originality:<br/><br/>The analyses shed new light on the nature of semantic interaction in bilingual systems by providing evidence from hitherto understudied bilingual language production in small-scale, non-standardized, egalitarian settings.<br/>Significance/implications:<br/><br/>The results suggest that Muysken’s model is useful for understanding different bilingual outcomes, and highlight the complexity and connectedness of bilingual semantic systems. They also stress the need for more work in a variety of bilingual settings if we are to more fully understand the nature of bilingual systems.}},
  author       = {{Yager, Joanne and Gullberg, Marianne}},
  issn         = {{1367-0069}},
  keywords     = {{Jahai; Jedek; crosslinguistic influence; semantic interaction; topological relations; egalitarian bilingualism; bilingualism}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{492--507}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Bilingualism}},
  title        = {{Asymmetric semantic interaction in Jedek-Jahai bilinguals : Spatial language in a small-scale, non-standardized, egalitarian, long-term multilingual setting in Malaysia}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1367006918814378}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/1367006918814378}},
  volume       = {{24}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}