Riley Stipe
Pronouns: he/him
Research Mentor(s): Lorenzo Garcia-Amaya
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Romance Languages and Literatures / LSA
Program:
Authors: Riley Stipe, Michael Levin, Lorenzo Garcia-Amaya, Nicholas Henriksen
Session: Session 5: 2:40 pm – 3:30 pm
Poster: 53
Abstract
This study investigates the cognitive and linguistic impact of bilingualism by examining Spanish language performance among Afrikaans-Spanish bilinguals in Patagonia, Argentina. It specifically explores how bilingualism affects linguistic performance by assessing the frequency of occlusions in the production of ‘r trills’ among bilingual speakers, compared to monolingual Spanish speakers in the same region. The study hypothesizes that the bilingual context leads to unique linguistic patterns in trill production, indicative of the interplay between Afrikaans and Spanish, even when only Spanish data is considered. Our research method involves a detailed analysis of occlusion frequency in ‘r trill’ production, aiming to identify distinct linguistic characteristics that emerge from the bilingual environment. By contrasting these findings with data from monolingual Spanish speakers, the study seeks to illuminate how bilingualism influences language-specific phonetic elements within a single language context. The anticipated findings are expected to offer significant insights into bilingual language processing and production, enhancing our understanding of the cognitive mechanisms at play in bilingual settings. Such insights could have broader implications, informing educational strategies tailored to bilingual individuals, aiding linguistic integration efforts, and contributing to the preservation of linguistic diversity within bilingual communities. Ultimately, this investigation aims to enrich the broader conversation on bilingualism’s dynamics and its effects on language performance, focusing on a unique linguistic community in Patagonia.
