ANALYSIS OF AVAILABLE LEXICON IN CHILDREN FROM NORTHERN CHILE:

INFLUENCE OF THE GENDER VARIABLE AND MIGRATORY STATUS

Abstract

Available lexicon is defined as the ability of individuals to access and use words in response to specific linguistic stimuli, a field developed since Michea (1953). Although there are studies on lexical availability, the mainstream literature does not address how gender and migratory status influence Chilean and foreign children in northern Chile. This work fills that gap by evaluating the analyze lexicon of 77 Chilean and immigrant children aged 10 to 12, using the methodology of the Panhispanic Project of Lexical Availability (PPHDL) and selecting six areas of interest (furniture, professions, school, kitchen, clothing, food, and drinks). The sample, children from public schools, underwent a free association test with extended time to obtain a richer lexical corpus. The data, analyzed with the Despogen program, reveal differences in the frequency and cohesion of terms according to gender and nationality. Although boys and girls evoke similar terms, girls show greater consistency and cohesion in their responses. The lexical availability indices (IDL) and frequencies of appearance reflect variations in the familiarity and relevance of terms, providing a detailed view of how these variables affect the available lexicon in a high-migration context, contributing to the understanding of linguistic dynamics in mixed child populations.