Sibling Effects on Children's Bilingualism

It is believed that parents, especially mothers, are children’s primary source of language exposure. Recent research suggests that siblings can also be a significant source of language exposure. However, studies on sibling effects on language acquisition and bilingualism are scarce. Therefore, advantageous to conduct a thorough investigation into sibling effects on children’s bilingualism. In the form of library research, this study reveals that older siblings can significantly affect their younger siblings’ language development because siblings spend plenty of time together while their parents are working or otherwise occupied. As a result, older siblings tend to act as caregivers for their younger siblings and serve as a vital source of language input. To conclude, older siblings can significantly influence their younger siblings’ language acquisition and development because siblings’ interactions can sometimes be very intense, which allows language transfer to happen. Keywords: sibling effects, second language acquisition, bilingualism