18/

.I

A HANDBOOK OF BILINGUAL

EDUCATION

In the coordinate bilingual the two languages operate as independent systems for the encoding and decoding of information. The coordinate bilingual can understand or say things in either language, but he may. not be able to translate between the languages on a word-for-word basis . The compound bilingual, on the other hand, formulates his thoughts first In one language (usually his native one) and then goes through a high-speed translation process into the second language. Similarly, messages received in the second language are translated back into the first language before their meaning can be apprehended. The translation process may operate so rapidly and at such a low conscious level that the speaker is not even aware of it, but it is not uncommon to find in the compound bilingual's production of the second language many examples of grammatical and lexical interference from his first language. The two types of bilingualism just sketched are extremes, and there are many degrees of variation in between, so that few bilinguals would be purely one or the other type. But the distinction is a useful one, and correlates well with two kinds of language-learning situations. A coordinate bilingual has typically learned his two (or more) languages in separate functional contexts, where it was necessary to learn each language for communication in specific situations, and little or no direct translation was possible (e. g., home vs. playmates, parents vs. grandparents, etc.). Each language then is learned as an independent communication system. The compound bilingual, on the other hand, has typically learned his second language in school, where it was presented on a translation-equivalence basis. In addition, it is often the case that the compound bilingual has lparned his second language following the onset of puberty, and in a setting which encouraged a translation approach. )(

11

----- ..... _ .... u . ~

VI.

"u~

;,uuJt:Cl.recog-

nize two major types, which have been callea-coordinate and compound bUingualism. , The difference may be illustrated by the following diagrams: Coordinate Bilingual

Language A

Language B

Compound Bilingual Meaning

Language A

language

marker
3. any system of communication providing mutual understanding lingual/'hl)ywall adj I. mull. of or relating to the tongue 2a. rare of or relating to language or . languages 2b. (in combination): bilingual 3. articulated with the tongue lingually adv linguist I'hl)ywlstl n I. a person who is skilled in foreign languages 2. a person who studies linguistics linguistic Ih!) 'YWtst Ikl adj 1. of or related to language 2. of or relating to linguistics linguistics Ill!)'gwlsllks/n lUI the scientific study of language mark' Imu:kl v IT) I. to stain or damage 2. to give a rating: The teacher //llirked the tl'st. 3. to use language in a panicular way to make a point: Yi)U can //llirk a neutral sentence with an adverb such (IS 'clearly', 'unfortunately', 'imerestingly' 4. to stay close to an opponent in a team game mark2/ma:k/n [C] I. a stain 2. a point, e.g., in a test: She gOl J 8 //larks out of 20 . marked Imu:ktl adj I. stained 2. given particular emphasis marker Ima:ka(r)1 n [C]1. a person who marks someone or something 2. an instrument for writing on, e.g., a whiteboard 3. an indication of a morphological or syntactic opemtion, e.g., final s in English is a IlIlirker of plural or third person singular in the present simple tense.

. language 1'I~l)gwld:y n I. [e] a system for the expression of thoughts, feelings, etc., by the use of spoken sounds or conventional symbols 2. [e J the faculty for the use of such systems, a distinguishing characteristic of humans as compared with other animals 3. [e] the language of a particular nation or people 4. [U J any other means of communication, such as gesture or animal sounds: the language of love 5. [U] the specialized vocabulary used by a particular group: medical language 6. IU] a particular manner or style of verbal expression: Your language is disgusting. 7. [C] a particular system of commands used in computi ng . language lahoratory BrE n~l)gwtd3Ia'bDratri/: ArnE I'lrebrJ.t:l:ril n a room equipped with audio equipment, etc., for learning foreign languages . langue Ilo!)yln Linguistics I l:]language as an abstract system or social institution, the common . possession of a speech community cJ. parole : lingo I"h!)gaul pin lingoes [C] inf any foreign or .' unfamiliar language, jargon, etc. .: lingua franca I.hOOWJ 'fr~!)kal pi n lingua ;;. francas or linguae francae I. a language used for .. communication among people of different mother \\.' tongues: English is the lingua franca fonllllllY (i'. business people in Western Europe. 2. hybrid language containing elements from ~'i<.: several different languages used in this way
~-

fs ..~'

~il
..
Iii

~.'

\-;1"

_ ... _-.s.:~:;:,h . .;. .

. ~"'.,.'.;