General sign theory per Oller et al. (2000a, 2000b) predicts that, to the
extent that valid measurements are possible, nonverbal abilities should correlate
positively with primary language abilities (Hypothesis 1). Further, nonverbal
abilities of persons in the early stages of acquiring a nonprimary language should
correlate significantly more positively with proficiencies in their primary language
than in their nonprimary language (Hypothesis 2(a)); but as persons approach parity
between their primary and any nonprimary language, correlations between nonverbal
scores and proficiencies in the two languages should both be positive and not
significantly different (Hypothesis 2(b)). The Cattell-Horn theory predicts that
nonverbal abilities should correlate equally with primary and nonprimary skills
throughout the course of development. Gardner’s theory predicts
nonsignificant correlations. Hypotheses 1, 2(a) and 2(b) are examined in
within-subjects, repeated measures designs. Study 1 examines 50 children acquiring
EFL in a bilingual school in Mexico, and Studies 2 and 3 examine 165 and 203 Korean
adults learning EFL. Hypotheses 1, 2(a) and 2(b) are confirmed (p <
.01). The Gardner and Cattell-Horn predictions are disconfirmed.
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