Effect of Twinning on Chinese and English Vocabulary Knowledge

Simpson W.L. Wong; Him Cheung; Mo Zheng; Xiujie Yang; Catherine McBride; Connie Suk-Han Ho; Judy Sze-Man Leung; Bonnie Wing-Yin Chow; Mary Miu Yee Waye

doi:10.1111/cdev.13400

Effect of Twinning on Chinese and English Vocabulary Knowledge

Simpson W.L. Wong, Him Cheung^*, Mo Zheng, Xiujie Yang, Catherine McBride, Connie Suk-Han Ho, Judy Sze-Man Leung, Bonnie Wing-Yin Chow, Mary Miu Yee Waye

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

9 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Vocabulary knowledge was tested in a native (Cantonese-Chinese) and foreign (English) language in 150 twins and 150 singletons aged 6–11 years, matched on age, gender, grade level, nonverbal intelligence, parents’ education, family income, and number of siblings and household members. The singletons clearly outperformed the twins on the native vocabulary, but this “twinning effect” was much less noticeable for the foreign vocabulary. The effect on English vocabulary was further reduced after exposure to English at home was controlled. Given that these participants learned most of their English in school rather than home, the present findings support the notion that the twinning effect is associated with increased competition for family interaction in twins compared with singletons.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1886-1897
Journal	Child Development
Volume	91
Issue number	6
Online published	20 Jul 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13400
Publication status	Published - Nov 2020

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Full text of this publication does not contain sufficient affiliation information. With consent from the author(s) concerned, the Research Unit(s) information for this record is based on the existing academic department affiliation of the author(s).

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title = "Effect of Twinning on Chinese and English Vocabulary Knowledge",

abstract = "Vocabulary knowledge was tested in a native (Cantonese-Chinese) and foreign (English) language in 150 twins and 150 singletons aged 6–11 years, matched on age, gender, grade level, nonverbal intelligence, parents{\textquoteright} education, family income, and number of siblings and household members. The singletons clearly outperformed the twins on the native vocabulary, but this “twinning effect” was much less noticeable for the foreign vocabulary. The effect on English vocabulary was further reduced after exposure to English at home was controlled. Given that these participants learned most of their English in school rather than home, the present findings support the notion that the twinning effect is associated with increased competition for family interaction in twins compared with singletons.",

author = "Wong, {Simpson W.L.} and Him Cheung and Mo Zheng and Xiujie Yang and Catherine McBride and Ho, {Connie Suk-Han} and Leung, {Judy Sze-Man} and Chow, {Bonnie Wing-Yin} and Waye, {Mary Miu Yee}",

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doi = "10.1111/cdev.13400",

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AU - Wong, Simpson W.L.

AU - Cheung, Him

AU - Zheng, Mo

AU - Yang, Xiujie

AU - McBride, Catherine

AU - Ho, Connie Suk-Han

AU - Leung, Judy Sze-Man

AU - Chow, Bonnie Wing-Yin

AU - Waye, Mary Miu Yee

N1 - Full text of this publication does not contain sufficient affiliation information. With consent from the author(s) concerned, the Research Unit(s) information for this record is based on the existing academic department affiliation of the author(s).

PY - 2020/11

Y1 - 2020/11

N2 - Vocabulary knowledge was tested in a native (Cantonese-Chinese) and foreign (English) language in 150 twins and 150 singletons aged 6–11 years, matched on age, gender, grade level, nonverbal intelligence, parents’ education, family income, and number of siblings and household members. The singletons clearly outperformed the twins on the native vocabulary, but this “twinning effect” was much less noticeable for the foreign vocabulary. The effect on English vocabulary was further reduced after exposure to English at home was controlled. Given that these participants learned most of their English in school rather than home, the present findings support the notion that the twinning effect is associated with increased competition for family interaction in twins compared with singletons.

AB - Vocabulary knowledge was tested in a native (Cantonese-Chinese) and foreign (English) language in 150 twins and 150 singletons aged 6–11 years, matched on age, gender, grade level, nonverbal intelligence, parents’ education, family income, and number of siblings and household members. The singletons clearly outperformed the twins on the native vocabulary, but this “twinning effect” was much less noticeable for the foreign vocabulary. The effect on English vocabulary was further reduced after exposure to English at home was controlled. Given that these participants learned most of their English in school rather than home, the present findings support the notion that the twinning effect is associated with increased competition for family interaction in twins compared with singletons.

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DO - 10.1111/cdev.13400

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

SN - 0009-3920

VL - 91

SP - 1886

EP - 1897

JO - Child Development

JF - Child Development

IS - 6

ER -

Effect of Twinning on Chinese and English Vocabulary Knowledge

Abstract

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