Pliatsikas, Christos, Marinis, Theodoros (2013) Processing empty categories in a second language: When naturalistic exposure fills the (intermediate) gap. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 16 (01). pp. 167-182. ISSN 1366-7289. (doi:10.1017/S136672891200017X) (KAR id:35136)
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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S136672891200017X |
Abstract
An ongoing debate on second language (L2) processing revolves around whether or not L2 learners process syntactic information similarly to monolinguals (L1), and what factors lead to a native-like processing. According to the Shallow Structure Hypothesis (Clahsen & Felser, 2006a), L2 learners’ processing does not include abstract syntactic features, such as intermediate gaps of wh-movement, but relies more on lexical/semantic information. Other researchers have suggested that naturalistic L2 exposure can lead to native-like processing (Dussias, 2003). This study investigates the effect of naturalistic exposure in processing wh-dependencies. Twenty-six advanced Greek learners of L2 English with an average nine years of naturalistic exposure, 30 with classroom exposure, and 30 native speakers of English completed a self-paced reading task with sentences involving intermediate gaps. L2 learners with naturalistic exposure showed evidence of native-like processing of the intermediate gaps, suggesting that linguistic immersion can lead to native-like abstract syntactic processing in the L2.
Item Type: | Article |
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DOI/Identification number: | 10.1017/S136672891200017X |
Uncontrolled keywords: | empty categories; L2 processing; Shallow Structure Hypothesis; wh-traces; successive cyclic movement |
Subjects: | B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology |
Divisions: | Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Psychology |
Depositing User: | Christos Pliatsikas |
Date Deposited: | 16 Sep 2013 17:20 UTC |
Last Modified: | 16 Nov 2021 10:12 UTC |
Resource URI: | https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/35136 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes) |
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