Bilingual Dual Coding in Japanese Returnee Students

Abstract

This study investigates the effects (if any) of L2 acquisition age, the length of exposure to the L2, and Japanese language specificity on the bilingual dual coding hypothesis proposed by Paivio & Desrochers (1980). Balanced Japanese-English bilingual subjects were presented with (1) pictures to be labelled in English, (2) Japanese words to be translated into English, and (3) English words to be copied as they were. Later without warning they were tested to recall the generated English words. The results showed a 3.7:3.2:1.0 ratio for pictorial:translation:copy encoding conditions, which is supportive of the bilingual dual coding hypothesis. Both the small pictorial-translation ratio difference and the high ratio for translation were interpreted as caused by Japanese language specific effects- logographic features. No length of residence (LOR) effects were observed. The onset age of L2 acquisition proved to be a significant factor, which added an extension to Arnedt & Gentile's (1986) 'manner'-proficiencies of L1 and L2 prior to formal schooling, as well as the language sequence in schooling (L1 to L2 or L2 to L1), which should be considered in the bilingual dual coding framework.