Cross-Linguistic Influence in Indonesian-Dutch Bilingual Children: a Predictive Model

Abstract

Bilingualism is a common is common in many countries, retrieved by the
existence of two languages within individuals. One notable challenge
faced by bilinguals is the difficulty in expressing thought across
languages since there will be an influence from one language to another;
this phenomenon can be called a cross-linguistic influence (CLI). CLI
arises from competition between languages, leading to interference that
can manifest in various linguistic domains. Although CLI has been
widely discussed in previous research, factors contributing to CLI are
still debatable, especially within the field of bilingualism. The present
study aims to predict the cross-linguistic interference between two
different languages, Indonesian and Dutch. We examined this
interference based on three hypotheses: Autonomous Development,
Interface Hypothesis, and Competition Model. We use the descriptive
qualitative method, we analyze the data extracted from bilinguals to test
the validity of these hypotheses in predicting patterns of CLI between two
varied language combinations. The result shows that the prediction
regarding CLI is significantly determined by the typological distinction
between Indonesian and Dutch. The study concludes that various
predictions of cross-linguistic interference are related to the typological
distinction between Indonesian and Dutch, as it is interpreted from those
three frameworks. Finally, this study suggests that further research must
evaluate and validate the prediction to gain a more in-depth
understanding of theoretical and practical implications.