Cognates are a powerful tool for learning a second language. English learners learn to use knowledge of cognates to build a broad base of English vocabulary.
What are cognates?
Vocabulary/vocabulary, animal/animal, actor/actor, color/color are just a few of the thousands of cognates in English and Spanish.
Cognates are an important part of learning English. Cognates are words in two languages that have the same or similar meaning, spelling, and pronunciation. Cognates in Spanish and English include: medico/doctor, familia/familia, construcción, construccion, and electricidad/electricidad. Some languages like Spanish have thousands of cognates with English and others like Chinese and Arabic have very few.
Cognates, words in two languages that have the same or similar meanings and spellings increase the vocabulary of English learners.
Why teach cognates?
These similarities in meaning and often spelling give second language learners the ability to figure out new words and learn English vocabulary more quickly. These cognates provide students with an instant vocabulary base. When students can identify cognates from their first language, it increases students’ knowledge of English vocabulary by thousands of words they already know.
English learners simply need to learn the spelling and pronunciation rules that accompany the cognate and have a solid foundation of English vocabulary.
What does the research say?
According to Nagy and Nagy, et al (1988; 1993), many students of Spanish as a second language need help to recognize and use cognates. Direct teacher instruction helps students use cognates to understand new or unfamiliar words in English.
What are false cognates?
False cognates are words that are spelled or pronounced similarly in two languages, but do not have the same meaning. Idioma/Idiom in Spanish and English are examples of false cognates. Idioma in Spanish means language, while idiom in English means a sentence that doesn’t mean what the words say (raining cats and dogs). Another important reason to teach English learners about cognates is to alert them to false cognates.
What can parents do?
Talk to your children. When you see a cognate, a word in two languages that have the same or similar meaning, spelling, and pronunciation, point it out to your child and talk about the meaning in your first language. Remember, the cognates in Spanish and English include: medico/doctor, familia/familia, construcción, construccion, and electricidad/electricidad. Cognates are everywhere!
Here is a list of everyday cognates that you can use to help teach your child to recognize and use cognates to build English vocabulary!
Happy Teaching!
lory
English Spanish
mascot
color color
medical doctor
family family
