Cross-linguistic influence and fine-grained placement verb semantics: Evidence from ERPs and appropriateness ratings : part of the symposium Cross-linguistic similarities in language learning and use

• Second language (L2) learners experience challenges when word-meanings differ across L1 and L2, and often display cross-linguistic influence (CLI) effects in speech production (Jarvis & Pavlenko, 2008). In contrast, comprehension studies show more mixed results. Specifically, ERP studies of semantic processing mainly report effects related to proficiency but surprisingly not CLI. This could be because they typically examine the processing of gross semantic violations, such as comparing socks and butter in the sentence He spread the bread with socks/butter (Kutas & Hillyard, 1980), rather than more fine-grained semantics. We therefore explored how L2 learners process fine-grained L2 verb semantics that are either similar or not to their L1, predicting positive effects when semantics are similar. Specifically, we examined online neurophysiological processing and offline appropriateness ratings of three obligatory Swedish placement verbs, sätta ‘set’, ställa ‘stand’, and lägga ‘lay’. Verb choice in Swedish depends on the located object’s properties (shape, orientation, presence of a base; Gullberg & Burenhult, 2012). In contrast, English has one general placement verb (put), whereas German has specific verbs similar to Swedish (Berthele, 2004). ERPs were recorded while English (18) and German (19) learners of L2 Swedish (matched for proficiency) and native Swedish speakers (17) watched images of objects being placed on a table and listened to sentences describing the placement with verbs that matched or not. In addition, participants performed an offline appropriateness rating task. Both tasks revealed CLI effects. German learners’ appropriate ratings were more similar to native Swedish speakers’ than those of English learners. Similarly, German learners’ ERP effects were more similar to native Swedish speakers’ than those of English learners. The results thus reveal CLI both offline and online, in line with production findings, but critically in contrast to previous ERP studies of semantic processing. 

Ämnesord

HUMANIORA  -- Språk och litteratur -- Jämförande språkvetenskap och allmän lingvistik (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Languages and Literature -- General Language Studies and Linguistics (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Swedish

Svenska språket / Nordiska språk

Psychology

Psykologi

Lingvistik

Linguistics

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