Oscillatory brain dynamics of pronoun processing in native Spanish speakers and in late second language learners of Spanish

Rossi, Eleonora; Prystauka, Yanina

doi:10.1017/s1366728919000798

Cited by 26 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 101 publications

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“…This demonstrates the plasticity of the phonological encoding process in bilingual speakers, which depends essentially on years of L2 use rather than L2 AoA. The current findings, together with previous studies which reported aspects of bilingual processing independent of L2 AoA (e.g., De Carli et al, 2015; Rossi & Prystauka, 2020), imply that it is never too late to learn an L2.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 76%

Second language experience influences salience of phonological units in spoken word production in the first language

Wang

Wong

Chen

2021

International Journal of Bilingualism

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Research question: Previous research suggests that the grain size of primary phonological units (PUs) in spoken word production is language-specific (e.g., phonemic segments in Germanic languages, and atonal syllables in Chinese). When the two languages of bilingual speakers have different primary PUs in their native speakers, will first language (L1) phonological processing be influenced by second language (L2) experience? Methodology: In a picture–word interference task, native Chinese speakers who spoke English as L2 were required to say aloud the predesignated L1 name of a picture while ignoring a written L1 character superimposed on the picture. The picture name shared a certain phonological component (i.e., rhyme or atonal syllable) with the distractor in the related condition but not in the unrelated condition. Data and analysis: Data of 186 participants from eight originally independent experiments were pooled. Multiple regression analyses were conducted on subject means to investigate whether the effects of rhyme relatedness and syllable relatedness on L1 naming latency were influenced by L2 self-rated proficiency, age of acquisition (AoA), and/or years of use. Trial-by-trial data were then analyzed with linear mixed-effects modeling. Findings: Both the rhyme effect and the syllable effect increased with years of L2 use, indicating that the salience of PUs in L1 spoken word production can be influenced by L2 experience. Originality: The current study adopted a chronometric approach to investigate the influence of L2 experience on phonological processing during L1 spoken word production. Importantly, multiple aspects of L2 experience (i.e., self-rated proficiency, AoA, and years of use) were examined at the same time in a relatively large sample. Implications: The current findings provide evidence for backward transfer of primary PUs in spoken word production, which demonstrates the plasticity of the phonological encoding process in bilingual speakers. These findings are discussed and compared with cross-language transfer of phonological awareness in the discussion.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 76%

Second language experience influences salience of phonological units in spoken word production in the first language

Wang

Wong

Chen

2021

International Journal of Bilingualism

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“…Indeed, a considerable proportion of work examining the oscillatory correlates of higher-order language processing have not explicitly accounted for modulations in broadband aperiodic activity (e.g., Bonhage et al, 2017; Corcoran et al, 2022; Kepinska et al, 2017; Lewis et al, 2016; Mai, Minett, & Wang, 2016; Prat et al, 2016; Rossi & Prystauka, 2020; c.f., Cao et al, 2022), making it difficult to determine whether oscillatory activity parsimoniously explains behavioural outcomes. By separating oscillatory and aperiodic components, we have demonstrated that the aperiodic exponent flattens across time, while, for example, theta and alpha power increase across time throughout the language learning phase.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oscillatory and aperiodic neural activity jointly predict language learning

Cross

Corcoran

Schlesewsky

et al. 2020

Preprint

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word count: 250 Introduction word count: 1,309 Discussion word count: 2,372ABSTRACT Memory formation involves the synchronous firing of neurons in task-relevant networks, with recent models postulating that a decrease in low frequency oscillatory activity underlies successful memory encoding and retrieval. To date, this relationship has predominantly been investigated using objects (e.g., faces, natural scenes); however, considerably less is known about the oscillatory correlates of complex rule learning (e.g., language acquisition). Further, recent work has shown that aperiodic (non-oscillatory) 1/ƒ activity is functionally and behaviourally relevant, yet its interaction with oscillatory activity during complex rule learning remains virtually unknown. Using spectral decomposition and power-law exponent estimation of human EEG data, we show for the first time that 1/ƒ and oscillatory activity jointly influence the learning of different word order rules of a miniature language system. Fixed word order rules were associated with an increased power-law exponent (i.e. steeper 1/ƒ slope) compared to flexible word order rules. We also show that stronger anterior beta synchronisation predicts fixed word order rule learning and subsequent behavioural performance, while stronger theta/alpha synchronisation is associated with the learning of flexible word order rules. These results also revealed nonlinear differences between word order rules as a function of time and sensor space. Moreover, we demonstrated that inter-individual variations in spectral power across the learning task interacted with aperiodic activity to influence subsequent behavioural performance. Together, these results suggest that 1/ƒ activity plays an important role in higherorder cognition, including language processing, and that grammar learning is modulated by different word order permutations, which manifest in distinct oscillatory profiles.

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“…The prevalent view on the functional role of the alpha rhythm during cognition is that it is involved in gating information processing away from task-irrelevant regions, to the task relevant (Van Diepen et al, 2019). This technique has been used less frequently within the bilingualism literature to measure brain activity (but see Rossi & Prystauka, 2020), but we will elaborate on the potential of EEG for future research later in this review.…”

Section: Measuring Neurocognitive Adaptations In Bilingualsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding bilingual brain function and structure changes? U bet! A unified bilingual experience trajectory model

DeLuca

Segaert

Mazaheri

et al. 2020

Journal of Neurolinguistics

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A growing body of research shows that the brain adapts functionally and structurally to specific bilingual experiences. These brain adaptations seem related to modulations in cognitive processes (specifically the executive functions). However, the trajectory of these adaptations is varied and seems at least partially dependent on different aspects of language exposure and use. Here we provide a review of the existing theoretical models covering bilingualism-induced neuroplasticity. Moreover, we propose a unifying framework (Unifying the Bilingual Experience Trajectories, UBET) to more comprehensively map the relationship between the various neurocognitive adaptations and different aspects of bilingual experience trajectories, focusing on intensity and diversity of language use, language switching, relative proficiency, and duration of bilingual experience. Crucially, we also outline predictions regarding both relationships between different bilingual experience factors and relationships between the measurable neurocognitive adaptations. Our framework offers a theoretical backdrop and clear testable predictions for future largescale empirical studies on individual differences in bilingual trajectories and their effects on neurocognitive adaptations.

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Oscillatory brain dynamics of pronoun processing in native Spanish speakers and in late second language learners of Spanish

Cited by 26 publications

References 101 publications

Second language experience influences salience of phonological units in spoken word production in the first language

Second language experience influences salience of phonological units in spoken word production in the first language

Oscillatory and aperiodic neural activity jointly predict language learning

Understanding bilingual brain function and structure changes? U bet! A unified bilingual experience trajectory model

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