18. Individual variation in bilingual lexical processing: the impact of second language proficiency and executive function on cross-language activation

Author(s):  
Janet G. van Hell ◽  
Katharine Donnelly Adams ◽  
Fatemeh Abdollahi
2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 912-930 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor A. Sanchez-Azanza ◽  
Raúl López-Penadés ◽  
Eva Aguilar-Mediavilla ◽  
Daniel Adrover-Roig

Aims and objectives/purpose/research questions: We characterized the impact of several bilingualism-related factors on the executive control of Spanish-Catalan bilinguals. Design/methodology/approach: Participants self-reported information regarding their age of acquisition, second language proficiency and frequency of natural language switching, and performed non-linguistic tasks tapping into specific executive control subcomponents, including inhibition, switching and updating. Data and analysis: Data were analyzed by means of a structural equation model (SEM) approach. Findings/conclusions: Results revealed that the frequency of natural language switching positively modulated the executive control performance of Spanish-Catalan bilinguals, while neither age of acquisition nor second language proficiency had an effect. Moreover, we found that the impact of natural language switching exerted general-processing influences, affecting all subcomponents of executive control. Findings are discussed in relation to context-specific effects on the cognitive system of a particular bilingual population. Originality: The current study applied an SEM approach to provide new evidence on the previously ambiguous relation between bilingualism-related factors and executive control. Significance/implications: Our findings suggest that the frequency of natural language switching does globally influence the executive control of Spanish-Catalan bilinguals.


2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 337-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
JILL P. MORFORD ◽  
CORRINE OCCHINO-KEHOE ◽  
PILAR PIÑAR ◽  
ERIN WILKINSON ◽  
JUDITH F. KROLL

What is the time course of cross-language activation in deaf sign–print bilinguals? Prior studies demonstrating cross-language activation in deaf bilinguals used paradigms that would allow strategic or conscious translation. This study investigates whether cross-language activation can be eliminated by reducing the time available for lexical processing. Deaf ASL–English bilinguals and hearing English monolinguals viewed pairs of English words and judged their semantic similarity. Half of the stimuli had phonologically related translations in ASL, but participants saw only English words. We replicated prior findings of cross-language activation despite the introduction of a much faster rate of presentation. Further, the deaf bilinguals were as fast or faster than hearing monolinguals despite the fact that the task was in their second language. The results allow us to rule out the possibility that deaf ASL–English bilinguals only activate ASL phonological forms when given ample time for strategic or conscious translation across their two languages.


Neofilolog ◽  
2017 ◽  
pp. 7-24
Author(s):  
Hanna Komorowska

The article investigates relationships between national/ ethnic identity and languages used in the school context. The impact of imposed, attributed, regained and selected identities on first and second language proficiency is analyzed on numerous examples drawn from the areas of history, literature and culture. Approaches to bi-and monolingualism and bi and monoculturalism are then presented with special emphasis on the role of stereotypes. Linguistic factors which influence success and failure are discussed vis-à-vis immigration and re-emigration. Attention is given to difficulties encountered by students using restricted L1 codes as well as to problems faced by pupils lacking proficiency in the language of schooling. Implications are sought for language education in the school system.


2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 323-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deanna C. Friesen ◽  
Veronica Whitford ◽  
Debra Titone ◽  
Debra Jared

We investigated how individual differences in language proficiency and executive control impact cross-language meaning activation through phonology. Ninety-six university students read English sentences that contained French target words. Target words were high- and low-frequency French interlingual homophones (i.e., words that share pronunciation, but not meaning across langauges; mot means ‘word’ in French and sounds like ‘mow’ in English) and matched French control words (e.g., mois – ‘month’ in French). Readers could use the homophones’ shared phonology to activate their English meanings and, ultimately, make sense of the sentence (e.g., Tony was too lazy to mot/mois the grass on Sunday). Shorter reading times were observed on interlingual homophones than control words, suggesting that phonological representations in one language activate cross-language semantic representations. Importantly, the magnitude of the effect was modulated by word frequency, and several participant-level characteristics, including French proficiency, English word knowledge, and executive control ability.


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