What is it about?

In this article, the authors combine the insights from two linguistic sub disciplines: language contact and sign language linguistics. After a short introduction about some possible outcomes of language contact the choice for code switching and an analysis along the lines of Myers-Scotton's Matrix Language model is made. First, the characteristics of bimodal language contact are discussed, and then the dataset is presented: a bimodal corpus by a deaf mother and her hearing son Jonas at the ages of approximately 3;0 and 6;0. Analyses show that a large part of the utterances is code blended, this means simultaneously signed and spoken. Even after a closer reanalysis it turns out to be difficult in many instances to decide what the matrix language is, although in many instances it is NGT.

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Why is it important?

Looking at mixed sign/spoken language utterances provides insights into the bilingual brain, and adds to linguistic theory.

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This page is a summary of: Bimodaal Codewisselen, Toegepaste Taalwetenschap in Artikelen, January 2006, John Benjamins,
DOI: 10.1075/ttwia.75.08bog.
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