TY - JOUR
T1 - Determining language dominance in English-Mandarin bilinguals
T2 - Development of a self-report classification tool for clinical use
AU - Lim, Valerie P.C.
AU - Liow, Susan J.Rickard
AU - Lincoln, Michelle
AU - Chan, Yiong Huak
AU - Onslow, Mark
PY - 2008/7/1
Y1 - 2008/7/1
N2 - In multilingual Asian communities, determining language dominance for clinical assessment and intervention is often complex. The aim of this study was to develop a self-report classification tool for identifying the dominant language in English-Mandarin bilinguals. Participants (N = 168) completed a questionnaire on language history and single-word receptive vocabulary tests (Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test type) in both languages. The results of a discriminant analysis on the self-report data revealed a reliable three-way classification into English-dominant, Mandarin-dominant, and balanced bilinguals. The vocabulary scores supported these dominance classifications, whereas the more typical variables such as age of first exposure, years of formal instruction, and years of exposure exerted only a limited influence. The utility of this classification tool in clinical settings is discussed.
AB - In multilingual Asian communities, determining language dominance for clinical assessment and intervention is often complex. The aim of this study was to develop a self-report classification tool for identifying the dominant language in English-Mandarin bilinguals. Participants (N = 168) completed a questionnaire on language history and single-word receptive vocabulary tests (Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test type) in both languages. The results of a discriminant analysis on the self-report data revealed a reliable three-way classification into English-dominant, Mandarin-dominant, and balanced bilinguals. The vocabulary scores supported these dominance classifications, whereas the more typical variables such as age of first exposure, years of formal instruction, and years of exposure exerted only a limited influence. The utility of this classification tool in clinical settings is discussed.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=44949128936&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1017/S0142716408080181
DO - 10.1017/S0142716408080181
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:44949128936
SN - 0142-7164
VL - 29
SP - 389
EP - 412
JO - Applied Psycholinguistics
JF - Applied Psycholinguistics
IS - 3
ER -