La description d’image chez les adultes neurotypiques bilingues : analyse de la performance selon la langue utilisée.

Background. Language assessment in adults often includes an analysis of oral discourse. Among the methods commonly used by speech-language pathologists, the picture description task is particularly prevalent in both formal and informal assessment contexts. This task allows for the collection of a language sample structured around a defined theme, thus facilitating comparisons between individuals. The obtained sample can be analyzed in terms of lexical and semantic content as well as syntactic structure. Performance on the picture description task may vary based on certain demographic characteristics; however, the performance of bilingual individuals based on the language used in this task remains underexplored. Objective. The main objective of this study was to compare the performance of neurotypical bilingual adults (French-English) in image description tasks in both French and English. Methods.Thirty neurotypical bilingual (French-English) participants were recruited in Ontario, Canada. Each participant described three images in both French and English. The recordings were transcribed and analyzed using the Computerized Language Analysis (CLAN) software, applying the MACS protocol for analyzing francophone discourse. The extracted linguistic variables were compared between the two languages. Results. Data analysis revealed significant differences between descriptions in French and English. The French descriptions contained more repetitions compared to English and little code-switching, suggesting linguistic insecurity where participants seemed to search for words, leading to repetitions in an attempt to deliberately avoid code-switching. An increased use of general verbs was observed in English, which could partly be explained by the difficulty of translating or retrieving more semantically complex specific verbs, and possibly due to lower proficiency in the other language. These differences were significant only for the “cat in the tree” image, highlighting that each task and stimulus imposes distinct linguistic and cognitive demands. Conclusion. This study highlights the differences in linguistic performance between French and English among bilinguals in a minority context. The findings underscore the importance for speech-language pathologists to consider these disparities when assessing linguistic competence in bilingual contexts. Finally, the study calls for the development of assessment protocols and tools tailored to the realities of bilingual populations to better address their specific needs and enhance speech-language pathology practices.