Multimodal Communication in Young Multilingual Children: Learning Beyond Words

Speaker: Prof. Jieun Kiaer (University of Oxford)

Abstract: In this talk, I will discuss my book, which explores young children's language acquisition in multilingual households through an original longitudinal study of my own children and interviews with members of other Korean-English families. The study investigates how multilingual children not only acquire multiple languages but also multiple strategies of non-verbal communication. In the process, it is revealed that parents learn from children, collaboratively shaping the language of their family together in a manner that is between and beyond languages and cultures. The book explores the different types and frequency of non-verbal behaviors acquired by multilingual children and reveals how multilingual families use a range of multimodal resources to communicate effectively in a way that creates solidarity. The results of this longitudinal study are discussed within the paradigm of translanguaging and provide insight into an underrepresented multilingual population.

About Prof. Jieun Kiaer: Professor Jieun Kiaer is the YBMK KF Professor of Korean Linguistics at the University of Oxford's Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. Her research interests include translanguaging, digital linguistic landscapes, and non-verbal pragmatics. She has recently launched research on AI linguistics.