Event conceptualization by early Dutch–German bilinguals: Insights from linguistic and eye-tracking data

Abstract

This experimental study investigates event construal by early Dutch–German bilinguals, as reflected in their oral depiction of everyday events shown in video clips. The starting point is the finding that the expression of an aspectual perspective (progressive aspect), and its consequences for event construal, is dependent on the extent to which means are grammaticalized, as in English (e.g., progressive aspect) or not, as in German (von Stutterheim & Carroll, 2006). The present study shows that although speakers of Dutch and German have comparable means to mark this aspectual concept, at a first glance at least, they differ markedly both in the contexts as well as in the extent to which this aspectual perspective is selected, being highly frequent in specific contexts in Dutch, but not in German. The present experimental study investigates factors that lead to the use of progressive aspect by early bilinguals, using video clips (with different types of events varied along specific dimensions on a systematic basis). The study includes recordings of eye movements, and examines how far an aspectual perspective drives allocation of attention during information intake while viewing the stimulus material, both for and while speaking. Although the bilinguals have acquired the means to express progressive aspect in Dutch, their use shows a pattern that differs from monolingual Dutch speakers. Interestingly, these differences are reflected in different patterns in the direction of attention (eye movements) when verbalizing information on events.

Principles of information organization in L2 use: Complex patterns of conceptual transfer

“…The L2 speakers thus transfer the core component of the L1 French principle, in which the moving entity with its specific spatial features (e.g., oriented towards a potential goal, or located in a specific place) provides the anchor in event conceptualization for motion events. Significantly, this shows that attention in L2 production of these advanced learners is still directed to features of the moving entity as the source for directional information, and not to the ground as in satellite-framed languages (also confirmed in an eye tracking study currently in progress; see also attentional patterns in eye track-ing in similar L2 studies von Stutterheim and Carroll 2006;Flecken 2011a;Schmiedtová et al 2011). Given that means that relate to the contours of the ground also exist in the learners' L1 (French), the findings thus pinpoint the role of attentional processes when processing information for expression, and the complexity involved in restructuring knowledge of this type for the learner.…”

Progressive Attraction: On the Use and Grammaticalization of Progressive Aspect in Dutch, Norwegian, and German

“…'He is at-the piano play '. 2 Production data show that the German prepositional constructions do not readily combine with a direct object (von Stutterheim et al 2009, Flecken 2011b). If they are used in clauses that involve direct objects, the object is usually incorporated into the nominal phrase (as in 1 above: das Klavierspielen lit.…”

Seeing Objects through the Language Glass

“…For instance, lexicalization constraints on spatial representation and event conceptualization (e.g., focus on manner vs. end point of motion) have been shown to affect speakersʼ event description and recollection (Papafragou & Selimis, 2010;Majid, Bowerman, Kita, Haun, & Levinson, 2004;Bowermann & Choi, 1991) or to elicit different gaze patterns when exploring scenes depicting events (Flecken, 2010). Studies investigating grammatical number (i.e., language with classifier systems) reveal a tendency to categorize objects on the basis of substance rather than shape when classifiers put the focus on substance (Saalbach & Imai, 2007;Zhang & Schmitt, 1998;Lucy, 1992b).…”