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Syntactic Priming in Language Acquisition: Representations, mechanisms and applications
Edited by Katherine Messenger
[Trends in Language Acquisition Research 31] 2022
► pp. 107–128

Chapter 6
Structural priming in bilingual children

| Loyola University Chicago
| Boston College
| Loyola University Chicago

Structural priming has been heralded as an important methodological tool for investigating language processing in young children. Despite the limited number of structural priming studies with bilingual children, the findings from these studies have already provided important insights that inform our understanding of language acquisition and bilingual language representation. Thus, this chapter provides an overview of the literature on structural priming in bilingual children as well as identifies critical gaps in our knowledge base that suggest future directions for research. The chapter begins with a discussion on cross-linguistic priming with adults, a body of literature that has raised important developmental questions about the nature of syntactic representations in children. This chapter also suggests modifications to a prominent model of bilingual language production to accommodate a broader range of bilingual speakers.

Keywords: bilinguals, cross-linguistic priming, second language, language production, shared syntax, lexical boost, language experience, parallel structures
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • Cross-linguistic priming in bilingual adults: Evidence for shared syntax
  • Within- and between-language priming in young bilinguals: Evidence for shared syntax
  • Model of bilingual language production and remaining questions
  • Structural priming and language experience
  • Methodological features of priming studies with bilingual children
  • Future directions for priming studies with bilingual children
  • References
Published online: 29 September 2022
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/tilar.31.06gam
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