Effects of input/output language on storytelling among bilingual adults

Abstract

The major purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of translation on retelling of a story. Effects on retelling is defined as the amount of: (1) levelling, (2) sharpening, (3) inventions, (4) number of words used. The predictor variables were: dominance vs. non-dominance, task interruption vs. non-interruption, congruence of input and output language, congruence of input language and dominant language, and congruence of output language and dominant language.;A total of 43 balanced bilinguals listened to a 300 word story about Mike Tyson's rape verdict in either English or Spanish, and asked to retell it in English or Spanish in a counterbalanced design. Half the respondents retold the story after an interfering task and half did not. t-tests and multiple regression analyses were conducted on the data. Findings were that time interruption resulted in greater levelling, less sharpening, and fewer words used in the retelling. Men used more words than women and women engaged in greater levelling than men. Dominicans levelled less than non-Dominicans and used more words in retelling the story. Congruence between the input language and the dominant language of the subject resulted in the use of more words in retelling the story.