The shifting structure of emotion semantics across immigrant generations
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Robert W. Schrauf
Abstract
Cross-cultural evidence shows that the semantic domain of emotion words is organized along two dimensions: valence (pleasantness vs. unpleasantness) vs. arousal (low vs. high). However, collectivist cultures may bias their members to favor valence as valuable cues for interpreting social phenomena, whereas individualist cultures may bias their members to attend to somasthetic arousal to interpret intrapersonal states. This chapter presents evidence that over generational time immigrant bilinguals from a collectivist culture (Mexico) to an individualist culture (the US) de-emphasize valence contrasts in the semantic domain of emotions in their first language (Spanish) and increase their emphasis on arousal contrasts. Thus, over generational time, the structure of first language emotion semantic space shifts in the direction of the majority culture.
Abstract
Cross-cultural evidence shows that the semantic domain of emotion words is organized along two dimensions: valence (pleasantness vs. unpleasantness) vs. arousal (low vs. high). However, collectivist cultures may bias their members to favor valence as valuable cues for interpreting social phenomena, whereas individualist cultures may bias their members to attend to somasthetic arousal to interpret intrapersonal states. This chapter presents evidence that over generational time immigrant bilinguals from a collectivist culture (Mexico) to an individualist culture (the US) de-emphasize valence contrasts in the semantic domain of emotions in their first language (Spanish) and increase their emphasis on arousal contrasts. Thus, over generational time, the structure of first language emotion semantic space shifts in the direction of the majority culture.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgement vii
- Introduction: From structure to chaos 1
-
Part I. Multilingualism
- Psycholinguistic perspectives on language processing in bilinguals 15
- Triggered code-switching 37
- Working memory capacity, inhibitory control, and proficiency in a second language 59
- Explanations of associations between L1 and L2 literacy skills 85
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Part II. Language attrition
- The acquisition, attrition, and relearning of mission vocabulary 115
- Second language attrition 135
- Contact x time 155
- The shifting structure of emotion semantics across immigrant generations 177
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Part III. Language and aging
- Bilingualism, code-switching and aging 201
- Language reversion versus general cognitive decline 221
-
Part IV. DST
- A dynamic model of expert-novice co-adaptation during language learning and acquisition 235
- The dynamics of multilingualism 267
- Epilogue: Twenty years of modeling bilingualism 289
- Address for correspondence 303
- Index 305
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgement vii
- Introduction: From structure to chaos 1
-
Part I. Multilingualism
- Psycholinguistic perspectives on language processing in bilinguals 15
- Triggered code-switching 37
- Working memory capacity, inhibitory control, and proficiency in a second language 59
- Explanations of associations between L1 and L2 literacy skills 85
-
Part II. Language attrition
- The acquisition, attrition, and relearning of mission vocabulary 115
- Second language attrition 135
- Contact x time 155
- The shifting structure of emotion semantics across immigrant generations 177
-
Part III. Language and aging
- Bilingualism, code-switching and aging 201
- Language reversion versus general cognitive decline 221
-
Part IV. DST
- A dynamic model of expert-novice co-adaptation during language learning and acquisition 235
- The dynamics of multilingualism 267
- Epilogue: Twenty years of modeling bilingualism 289
- Address for correspondence 303
- Index 305
