Maket 2011:Layout 1.qxd


On Some Peculiarities of Bilingual Children’s 

Speech Development

Naira Avakyan
Yerevan State University

T he knowledge of two or more languages truly gives children so many advantagesin life. Bilingual children have the advantage of knowing two cultures, of being
able to communicate with a wider variety of people, and have possible economic advan-
tages in their future. Research has even shown advantages in thinking skills among bilin-
gual individuals. But deciding to raise bilingual kids is a decision that should be careful-
ly considered as it affects children for the rest of their lives. “Parents need to consider the
child’s self identity, self-esteem, schooling options, as well as social factors when plan-
ning for bilingualism. Becoming bilingual is a special gift parents can offer their chil-
dren, but the gift must be planned and presented with care for it to be well used and
appreciated” (Rosenberg 1996:6). 

Parents who speak more than one language are generally eager to share their lan-
guages with their children. As they begin this important undertaking, parents frequently
have questions about how second language learning affects reading ability, social skills,
and scholastic achievement. Whether or not they speak more than one language them-
selves, many wonder how best to help their children learn more than one language. 

The reasons for choosing to raise children with two or more languages are as varied as
the families themselves. Even the word bilingualism has different meanings for different
families. For some families, having the ability to listen in two languages but speak in just
one may constitute bilingualism, while other parents expect their children not only to be
bilingual, but also literate in both languages. Whatever the goals for developing bilingual-
ism in each family may be, success appears to depend on whether a “language plan” has
been worked out in advance. Families, who take the time to consider how their children
will develop two languages, and how to make the necessary commitments to bilingual lan-
guage development, tend to be more successful in raising bilingual children.

There are two major patterns in bilingual language acquisition: simultaneous bilin-
gualism and sequential bilingualism. In simultaneous bilingualism, the child acquires
two languages at the same time before the age of 3. The child may mix words or parts of
words from both languages in the first stage. Stage 2 (sequential bilingualism) occurs at
4 years and older when distinction between the two languages takes place, and the child
uses each language separately. Sequential bilingualism may also occur before the child is
3 years old, but the child can draw on the knowledge and experience of the first language
while acquiring the second language.

The term balanced bilingualism is used to describe individuals who have the same
fluency in two languages, while semilingualism refers to those who have deficiencies in
both languages compared with monolinguals. These deficiencies could be in a reduced
vocabulary, incorrect grammatical patterns, etc. Few people are truly balanced bilinguals
in both languages in all situations. One language is usually dominant. This dominance

Armenian Folia AnglistikaMethodology

77



may be different for listening and speaking or for reading and writing and usually
changes over time.

Research suggests that children who learn a second language are more creative and
better at solving complex problems than those who do not. Studies have shown that bilin-
guals outperform similar monolingual peers on both verbal and non-verbal tests of intel-
ligence and tend to achieve higher scores on standardized tests. Individuals who speak
more than one language have the ability to communicate with more people, read more
literature, and benefit more fully from travel abroad. Knowing a second language also
gives people a competitive advantage in the workforce. These are some of the compelling
reasons for parents to encourage the development of a second, or a third language with
their children.

One can state that learning two languages for a child perhaps is accessible, but more
than two may seem too much. “Raising a bilingual or multilingual child in a monolingual
country can be challenging, but learning an extra language is easier during childhood
when the human brain is absorbing everything like a sponge” (Darseno 1996:4).
Considering how much babies have to learn in their first years of life, another language
really does not add much to the load. As long as the child is getting regular interactions
in the second (or third) language, there will be no problems. Also, even if your child does
not end up speaking all the languages, do not underestimate the value of a passive lan-
guage, i.e. understanding it but not yet speaking it. If you already understand a language,
it will be easier to learn it later in school or as an adult, compared to someone who had
never heard it before. So, even “just” understanding another language is most definitely
not a wasted effort. 

Learning a second language is simple for children, relative to adults, but in the
beginning they actually need to hear a word thousands of times before it sticks − unless
it is a bad word, then miraculously you only have to say it once. If the child picks up a
bad word from the street, he is likely to forget it soon if you pay no attention to it, and
if you do not scold him. But if you threaten the child to punish him in case he repeats
the word once again, he is sure to use it later. There is something in human nature − to
do what is forbidden (remember the Bible − Adam, Eve and the apple). In some cases
parents smile at it, thus subconsciously (perhaps not deliberately) encouraging the child
to repeat it.

Many parents worry that raising children in a multilingual environment may delay
their speech or lead to learning difficulties at school. Although parents often report that
their multilingual children start talking 3 to 6 months later than their monolingual peers,
research shows that they reach major language developmental milestones at similar
times. It is important to differentiate between the popular use of the term language delay
in reference to a child who is perceived to take longer than average to begin to speak but
who is well within the normal range of productive vocabulary development, and the clin-
ical use of the term to refer to significant delays in the development of language, which
can be either primary (not associated with another disorder) or secondary (associated
with conditions such as autism). A lack of understanding of the different uses of the term
may result in unjustified concern for some parents interested in raising their children with

Armenian Folia Anglistika Methodology

78



two languages. “You can always ask if they think Einstein’s intellect suffered growing up
with both German and Italian. And, he didn’t start talking until he was three years old
either, but he certainly seemed to make up for lost time!” (Bosemark 2003:16).

Some people believe that children will be confused by learning more than one lan-
guage. It is true that some mixing will occur, but that is both harmless and temporary.
Children often use the grammatical structures of the language which is dominant. It may
be the language of the country they live in, which may prevail over the one spoken only
in the family. However, our observations have revealed that in bilingual families children
more often use the grammatical structures of the language the bearer of which is the moth-
er. This is due to the fact that mothers spend more time with their children, thus taking
more active part in the process of upbringing. Let us view two cases: (1) examples taken
from the speech of a child with an Armenian-speaking mother and a Russian-speaking
father, and (2) a child with a Russian-speaking mother and an Armenian-speaking father. 

1. Here are some examples of lexico-grammatical hybrids made up by a child belong-
ing to the first group:

Папа, я рисуем / я кушаем.
The misuse of the verbal ending is the influence of the Armenian auxiliary verb − »Ù

(ÝϳñáõÙ »Ù, áõïáõÙ »Ù). It might also be interpreted as the plural form of the Russian
verb, but it is less probable.

Мы приехали автобусом, а они машиной.
Here we see the influence of the Armenian ending − áí (³íïáμáõëáí,

Ù»ù»Ý³Ûáí).
Мама в кухне. 

The misuse of the preposition is the influence of Armenian − ËáѳÝáóáõÙ).
Папа, тот мальчик берет меня за руку.

In this case we see a misused idiomatic expression (the child is complaining that he
is being teased − in Armenian Ó»éù ³éÝ»É).

In the examples above the influence of Armenian grammatical structures is notice-
able.

We may also observe language interference (mixture) in the child’s speech.
Знаешь, папа, завтра мы с мамой пойдем в газананоц!

Татуля мне подарила красивый шалварик.

2. Now let us view the speech of a child belonging to the second group.
øáõÛñÇÏë ÇÝÓ ãÇ ï³ÉÇë ùÝ»Ù: (Сестра не дает спать.)

ÆÝÓ Ùáï Ýáñ ˳ճÉÇù ϳ: (У меня новая игрушка.)
ÆÝÓ óáõñï ¿: (Мне холодно.)

In the following examples we see misused prepositions:
ï³ùëÇÇ íñ³ »Ï³Ýù (приехали на такси)

ùáõÛñÇÏë ¹áõñë »Ï³í ÷áÕáóÇ íñ³ (вышла на улицу)
Ïñ³Ï»É ÃéãáõÝÇ Ù»ç (стрелять в птичку)

å³å³Ý ³ß˳ï³ÝùÇ íñ³ ¿ (папа на работе)
Ýí³·áõÙ »Ù çáõóÏÇ íñ³ (играю на скрипке)

Armenian Folia AnglistikaMethodology

79



In the examples below we have both lexical and grammatical mixture.
ºë ã»Ù ÙñëáõÙ, »ë å³ÉïáÛÇ Ù»ç »Ù: (Я в пальто.)
ÄÇÉ»ïÇ / ßáõμ³ÛÇ Ù»ç »Ù: (Я в жилете / в шубе.)

In some cases we may notice word for word translation of idiomatic expressions:
- àñï»ÕDZó: - àõÕïÇó: (Откуда? − От верблюда.)
- ÆÙ μ»ñ³ÝÁ ÏáÕå»ùÇ íñ³ ¿: (У меня рот на замке.)

As we see, in the first case (with an Armenian-speaking mother) Armenian grammati-
cal structures prevail over Russian ones, whereas in the second case (with a Russian-
speaking mother) we observe the opposite phenomenon.

As the child builds his vocabulary in each language, this phenomenon automatically
disappears. How many monolingual children mechanically make mistakes after correct
usage has been learned? Eventually, the multilingual child learns correct usage in the
same way as any other child. If parents do not mix languages in their own conversation,
it will be much simpler for the child to remain consistent as well. 

To sum up, arming the child with more than one language can lead to more job oppor-
tunities down the road, as well as the ability to connect to more people, both socially and
professionally. Studies even show that being bilingual can help people keep a sharp mind
through old age.

References:

1. Bialystok, E. (2001) Bilingualism in Development: Language, Literacy, and
Cognition. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. 

2. Bosemark, Ch. (2003) Raising Bilingual Children. CA: Art Galleries & Dealers in
San Francisco.

3. Darseno, D. (1996) How to Raise Bilingual Children. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Press.
4. De Houwer, A. (1998) Bilingualism and Migration. New York: Mouton de Gruyter. 
5. Eisenberg, A.; Murkoff, H. & Hathaway, S.E. (1989) What to Expect the First Year.

New York: Workman. 
6. Rosenberg, M. (1996) Raising Bilingual Children. // The Ambassador, Alumni &

Community Magazine, Vol. 10 (3), Article 10. Concordia.

ºñÏÉ»½í³ÏÇñ »ñ»Ë³Ý»ñÇ ËáëùÇ ½³ñ·³óÙ³Ý áñáß 
³é³ÝÓݳѳïÏáõÃÛáõÝÝ»ñÇ ßáõñç

Ðá¹í³ÍÁ ùÝݳñÏáõÙ ¿ »ñÏÉ»½í³ÏÇñ »ñ»Ë³Ý»ñÇ ËáëùÇ ½³ñ·³óÙ³Ý ÷áõÉ»ñÁ ¨
¹ñ³Ýó ³éÝãíáÕ áñáß ³é³ÝÓݳѳïÏáõÃÛáõÝÝ»ñ: ºñÏÉ»½í³ÏÇñ »ñ»Ë³Ý»ñÇ ËáëùÇ
½³ñ·³óÙ³Ý ÁÝóóùáõÙ ¹Çï³ñÏíáõÙ »Ý ³ÛÝåÇëÇ »ñ¨áõÛÃÝ»ñ, ÇÝãåÇëÇù »Ý áõß³-
ó³Í ËáëùÁ ¨ É»½áõÝ»ñÇ Ùdz˳éÝáõÙÁ: ´»ñí³Í ûñÇݳÏÝ»ñÁ óáõÛó »Ý ï³ÉÇë ÁÝï³-
ÝÇùÇ Ï³ñ¨áñ ¹»ñÁ »ñÏÉ»½í³ÏÇñ »ñ»Ë³Ý»ñÇ ËáëùÇ ½³ñ·³óÙ³Ý ·áñÍÁÝóóáõÙ:

Armenian Folia Anglistika Methodology

80