Cross-modal multilingualisma reflection on language emergence via Pattern Asociation

Abstract

Abstract Cross-modal and intra-modal language transfer divergences were analysed along with developmental ones from the multilingual texts written by 13 deaf sign-multilingual teenage learners whose L1 and language of instruction was Catalan Sign Language (LSC). Participants used written Spanish and Catalan (as either their L2.1 or L2.2 ) and written English (L3) to spontaneously write a popular story. Results were interpreted in the light of Linguistics research, with implications for reflecting upon language nature, its origin and development. Multilingual transfer was described for educational purposes and measured for linguistic reflection, both as a cognitive mechanism and an environmental factor affecting multilingual development. Multilingual mistargets were coded, statistically quantified and typified to assess and test the innate vs. emergent language hypothesis, increasingly raising questions on the validity and real usefulness of Universal Grammar vs. other emergentist approaches available.