"The pínakas is in the art gallery": Exploring language learning through mixed language input

Background: Learning an additional language is a diverse experience, shaped by factors like learners’ linguistic and cognitive profiles and sociolinguistic context. Research in instructed language learning assumes that input should be presented in a unilingual mode, overlooking natural practices in linguistically diverse societies where mixed language communication is very common. It remains unclear, however, whether a new language can be learnt through mixed input. This study investigates whether mixed language input can facilitate Greek learning in adults from varying linguistic backgrounds. Methodology: We are recruiting 120 adults (age 18-35) with English as their dominant language and no prior Greek exposure. Half will be from India, a highly multilingual country (Linguistic Diversity Index [LDI] = 91%) (Greenberg, 1956), and half from monolingual European countries (LDI < 35%). Each group is subdivided by input type: unilingual Greek or mixed Greek (within English sentences). Greek learning proceeds through phases that introduce nouns (Phase 1), determiners (Phase 2), and verbs (Phase 3). These phases allow us to examine whether learners can arrive at some knowledge of Greek through a scaffolding model of ordered input in the new language. Learning is assessed through picture-based comprehension and grammaticality judgement tasks in Greek. Results: We hypothesise that mixed input will enhance learning across both groups, with Indian participants (from the multilingual context) benefiting more. Pilot results (n = 5) suggest that learning is achieved through our protocol (above-chance performance) and improves across sessions.