title: The receptive-expressive gap in the vocabulary of young second-language learners: Robustness and possible mechanisms.
abstract: Adults and children learning a second language show difficulty accessing expressive vocabulary that appears accessible receptively in their first language (L1). We call this discrepancy the receptive-expressive gap. Kindergarten Spanish (L1) - English (L2) sequential bilinguals were given standardized tests of receptive and expressive vocabulary in both Spanish and English. We found a small receptive-expressive gap in English but a large receptive-expressive gap in Spanish. We categorized children as having had high or low levels of English exposure based on demographic variables and found that the receptive-expressive gap persisted across both levels of English exposure. Regression analyses revealed that variables predicting both receptive and expressive vocabulary scores failed to predict the receptive-expressive gap. The results suggest that the onset of the receptive-expressive gap in L1 must have been abrupt. We discuss possible mechanisms underlying the phenomenon.
authors.affiliation: School of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, The University of Memphis.
authors.forename: Todd A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: D Kimbrough
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Oller
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jarmulowicz
authors.forename: Corinna A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Ethington