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Processing empty categories in a second language: When naturalistic exposure fills the (intermediate) gap

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)

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
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)

University of Kent Author Information

Pliatsikas, Christos.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7093-1773
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