L1 activation during L2 processing is modulated by both age of acquisition and proficiency

Berghoff, Robyn; McLoughlin, Jayde; Bylund, Emanuel

doi:10.1016/j.jneuroling.2020.100979

Cited by 13 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 101 publications

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“…The findings of our study are not only informative for L2 morphosyntactic processing studies. In most L2 studies, AoA and proficiency are confounded (e.g., Hernandez 2013;Li 2013;Monner et al 2013), and it is difficult to determine "whether AoA effects are a proxy for proficiency effects, or whether they reflect some underlying age-related changes to the way in which the brain processes language" (Berghoff et al 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Subject–Verb Number Agreement in Bilingual Processing: (Lack of) Age of Acquisition and Proficiency Effects

Sagarra

Rodriguez

2022

Languages

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Children acquire language more easily than adults, though it is controversial whether this faculty declines as a result of a critical period or something else. To address this question, we investigate the role of age of acquisition and proficiency on morphosyntactic processing in adult monolinguals and bilinguals. Spanish monolinguals and intermediate and advanced early and late bilinguals of Spanish read sentences with adjacent subject–verb number agreements and violations and chose one of four pictures. Eye-tracking data revealed that all groups were sensitive to the violations and attended more to more salient plural and preterit verbs than less obvious singular and present verbs, regardless of AoA and proficiency level. We conclude that the processing of adjacent SV agreement depends on perceptual salience and language use, rather than AoA or proficiency. These findings support usage-based theories of language acquisition.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Subject–Verb Number Agreement in Bilingual Processing: (Lack of) Age of Acquisition and Proficiency Effects

Sagarra

Rodriguez

2022

Languages

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“…An alternative perspective on the tendency for code-switches to occur in shared-word-order utterances centres on crosslanguage activation. It is well established that the bilingual brain seldom switches off either of its two languages completely: even in an entirely monolingual context, when the brain is processing input in one language, elements of the other language are also activated (Berghoff, McLoughlin & Bylund, 2021;Duyck, van Assche, Drieghe & Hartsuiker, 2007;Kroll, Bobb & Wodniecka, 2006;Spivey & Marian, 1999;Thierry & Wu, 2007;van Hell & Dijkstra, 2002). Assuming that heightened activation facilitates accessibility, switching from one language to the other should be easiest when cross-language activation is highest.…”

Section: Word Order Constraints In Code-switchingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structural priming of code-switches in non-shared-word-order utterances: The effect of lexical repetition

2023

Self Cite

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Code-switching is generally dispreferred at points of non-shared word order across a bilingual's two languages. In priming studies, this dispreference persists even following exposure to a code-switched non-shared-word-order utterance. The present study delves deeper into the scope of code-switching priming by investigating whether lexical repetition across target and prime, a factor known to boost structural priming, can increase code-switching at points of word order divergence. Afrikaans–English bilinguals (n=46) heard prime sentences in which word order, lexical repetition, and switch position were manipulated and subsequently produced code-switched picture descriptions. The results show that lexical repetition boosts the priming of code-switching in a non-shared word order. The findings demonstrate that code-switching in production is affected by a dynamic interplay between factors both language-internal (i.e., word order) and language-external (i.e., priming, and specifically lexical repetition).

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“…Nonetheless, more recent neuropsychological studies have provided support for the hypothesis that AoA can modulate L1 activation during L2 processing. According to theories based on the notion of entrenchment (see Berghoff et al 2021), the earlier a L2 is learnt, the less the L2 depends on the L1. As a consequence, the L2 system is more independent, less connected to L1 representations, leaving bilinguals with better control over the two systems (a detailed discussion on the effect of proficiency and AoA, see Berghoff et al 2021).…”

Section: The L2 (English) In Bilingual Speakersmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…According to theories based on the notion of entrenchment (see Berghoff et al 2021), the earlier a L2 is learnt, the less the L2 depends on the L1. As a consequence, the L2 system is more independent, less connected to L1 representations, leaving bilinguals with better control over the two systems (a detailed discussion on the effect of proficiency and AoA, see Berghoff et al 2021). Thus, the observed effect of AoA in our study could also be explained under this hypothesis of entrenchment, that is, as less interference from L1 on L2 in earlier L2 acquirers.…”

Section: The L2 (English) In Bilingual Speakersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bidirectional cross-linguistic influence in motion event conceptualisation in bilingual speakers of Spanish and English

Aveledo

Athanasopoulos

2023

International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching

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We investigated bidirectional cross-linguistic influence on motion event (ME) expressions in bilingual speakers of two typological different languages (Talmy’s typology), Spanish (as L1) and English (as L2). Specifically, we investigated whether bilingual speakers struggle to learn ME expressions in the L2, and whether this process affects ME uses in the L1. Potential effects of L2 proficiency and L2 AoA in both L1 and L2 was also studied. ME expressions elicited from 6-second video-clips were analysed for manner and path components at the level of the verb and of the clause. Results support the hypothesis of bidirectional cross-linguistic influence on motion event conceptualization. In bilinguals’ L2, we observed patterns of restructuring, convergence and L1 transfer. In bilinguals’ L1, we reported structural and conceptualization patterns that seem to emerge from the contact with the L2. Proficiency and AoA showed modulation in the use of manner verbs on both L2 and L1.

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L1 activation during L2 processing is modulated by both age of acquisition and proficiency

Cited by 13 publications

References 101 publications

Subject–Verb Number Agreement in Bilingual Processing: (Lack of) Age of Acquisition and Proficiency Effects

Subject–Verb Number Agreement in Bilingual Processing: (Lack of) Age of Acquisition and Proficiency Effects

Structural priming of code-switches in non-shared-word-order utterances: The effect of lexical repetition

Bidirectional cross-linguistic influence in motion event conceptualisation in bilingual speakers of Spanish and English

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