Bimodal bilingualism

Karen Emmorey, Helsa B. Borinstein, Robin Thompson, Tamar H. Gollan

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

Separate perceptual and motoric systems provide speech-sign or "bimodal" bilinguals with the unique opportunity to produce and perceive their two languages at the same time. In contrast, speech-speech or "unimodal" bilinguals cannot simultaneously produce two spoken words or phrases because they have only a single output channel available (the vocal tract). In addition, for unimodal bilinguals both languages are perceived by the same sensory system (audition), whereas for bimodal bilinguals one language is perceived auditorily and the other is perceived visually. We investigated the implications of bimodal bilingualism for models of language production by examining the nature of bimodal language mixing in adults who are native users of American Sign Language (ASL) and who are also native English speakers. Below we briefly present some important distinctions between ASL and English, describe some of the sociolinguistic characteristics of this bimodal bilingual population, and then highlight some of the implications that this population has for understanding bilingualism and language production in general.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationHearing, Mother Father Deaf
Subtitle of host publicationHearing People in Deaf Families
EditorsMichele Bishop, Sherry L. Hicks
PublisherGallaudet University Press
Pages3-43
Number of pages41
ISBN (Electronic)9781563684326
ISBN (Print)9781563683978
Publication statusPublished - 2009

Publication series

NameSociolinguistics in Deaf Communities
PublisherGallaudet University Press
Volume14
ISSN (Print)1080-5494

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Social Sciences

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