Archive of Scientific Articles

Abstract. The author considers the problems of children’s bilingualism specificity, substantiates the topicality of this research by its prevalence and practical interest to its manifestations and features, analyzes the characteristics of children’s bilingualism by the parameters relevant to the estimation of bilingualism as a linguistic phenomenon: the possible separation of a dominant language, the connection with thinking, the rate and awareness of code switching; language proficiency, the method and framework of assimilation; tells that the analysis leads to the conclusion about significant differences between children’s bilingualism and the assimilation and use of foreign language code by older bilinguals, the explication of which is most noticeable in the way of assimilating a new linguo-cultural code, motivation and awareness of its application, and basing on this analysis emphasizes the main key features of children’s bilingualism.

Key words and phrases: билингвизм, лингвокультурный код, переключение кода, речевой механизм, смешение кодов, bilingualism, linguo-cultural code, code switching, speech mechanism, mixing of codes