scholarly journals Predictors of second language English lexical recognition: Further insights from a large database of second language lexical decision times

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Skalicky ◽  
Scott Crossley ◽  
Cynthia M. Berger
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Lexical Decision ◽  
The United States ◽  
English Learning ◽  
Large Database ◽  
Linguistic Features ◽  
Contextual Diversity ◽  
Orthographic Similarity ◽  
Statistical Measures ◽  
Decision Times

In this study we analyze a large database of lexical decision times for English content words made by speakers of English as an additional language residing in the United States. Our first goal was to test whether the use of statistical measures better able to model variation associated with participants and items would replicate findings of a previous analysis of this data (Berger, Crossley, & Skalicky, 2019). Our second goal was to determine whether variables related to experiences using and learning English would interact with linguistic features of the target words. Results from our statistical analysis suggest affirmative answers to both of these questions. First, our results included significant effects for linguistic features related to contextual diversity and contextual distinctiveness, providing a replication of findings from the original study in that words appearing in more textual and lexical contexts were responded to quicker. Second, a measure of length of English learning and a measure of daily English use interacted with a measure of orthographic similarity. Our study provides further evidence regarding how a large, crowdsourced database can be used to obtain a better understanding of second language lexical recognition behavior and provides suggestions for further research.

Predictors of second language English lexical recognition

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 333-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Skalicky ◽  
Scott A. Crossley ◽  
Cynthia M. Berger
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Previous Analysis ◽  
The United States ◽  
Original Study ◽  
English Learning ◽  
Large Database ◽  
Linguistic Features ◽  
Contextual Diversity ◽  
Orthographic Similarity ◽  
Statistical Measures

Abstract In this study we analyze a large database of lexical decision times for English content words made by speakers of English as an additional language residing in the United States. Our first goal was to test whether the use of statistical measures better able to model variation associated with participants and items would replicate findings of a previous analysis of this data (Berger, Crossley, & Skalicky, 2019). Our second goal was to determine whether variables related to experiences using and learning English would interact with linguistic features of the target words. Results from our statistical analysis suggest affirmative answers to both of these questions. First, our results included significant effects for linguistic features related to contextual diversity and contextual distinctiveness, providing a replication of findings from the original study in that words appearing in more textual and lexical contexts were responded to quicker. Second, a measure of length of English learning and a measure of daily English use interacted with a measure of orthographic similarity. Our study provides further evidence regarding how a large, crowdsourced database can be used to obtain a better understanding of second language lexical recognition behavior and provides suggestions for further research.

The bigram trough hypothesis and the syllable number effect in lexical decision

2012 ◽  
Vol 65 (11) ◽  
pp. 2221-2230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven J. Muncer ◽  
David C. Knight
Keyword(s):  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Word Frequency ◽  
Word Processing ◽  
Significant Contribution ◽  
Orthographic Similarity ◽  
Dual Route ◽  
Comparison Of The Results ◽  
Models Of Reading ◽  
Decision Times

There has been an increasing volume of evidence supporting the role of the syllable in various word processing tasks. It has, however, been suggested that syllable effects may be caused by orthographic redundancy. In particular, it has been proposed that the presence of bigram troughs at syllable boundaries cause what are seen as syllable effects. We investigated the bigram trough hypothesis as an explanation of the number of syllables effect for lexical decision in five-letter words and nonwords from the British Lexicon Project. The number of syllables made a significant contribution to prediction of lexical decision times along with word frequency and orthographic similarity. The presence of a bigram trough did not. For nonwords, the number of syllables made a significant contribution to prediction of lexical decision times only for nonwords with relatively long decision times. The presence of a bigram trough made no contribution. The evidence presented suggests that the bigram trough cannot be an explanation of the syllable number effect in lexical decision. A comparison of the results from words and nonwords is interpreted as providing some support for dual-route models of reading.

USING LEXICAL FEATURES TO INVESTIGATE SECOND LANGUAGE LEXICAL DECISION PERFORMANCE

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 911-935 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia Berger ◽  
Scott Crossley ◽  
Stephen Skalicky
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Word Recognition ◽  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Nonnative Speakers ◽  
Age Of Acquisition ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Large Dataset ◽  
Contextual Diversity ◽  
Decision Performance ◽  
The Impact

AbstractA large dataset of word recognition behavior from nonnative speakers (NNS) of English was collected using an online crowdsourced lexical decision task. Lexical features were used to predict NNS lexical decision latencies and accuracies. Predictors of NNS latencies and accuracy included contextual diversity, age of acquisition, and contextual distinctiveness, while length moderated the impact of contextual diversity and neighborhood size on accuracy. Results have implications for second language word recognition and demonstrate that NNS behavioral data collected through large crowdsourcing projects can afford a rich source for SLA research.

scholarly journals Contextual Diversity, Not Word Frequency, Determines Word-Naming and Lexical Decision Times

2006 ◽  
Vol 17 (9) ◽  
pp. 814-823 ◽  
Author(s):  
James S. Adelman ◽  
Gordon D.A. Brown ◽  
José F. Quesada
Keyword(s):  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Word Frequency ◽  
Word Naming ◽  
Contextual Diversity ◽  
Decision Times

scholarly journals Visual word recognition in a second language: A test of the lexical entrenchment hypothesis with lexical decision times

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 530-548 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARC BRYSBAERT ◽  
EVELYNE LAGROU ◽  
MICHAËL STEVENS
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Word Frequency ◽  
Word Processing ◽  
Qualitative Difference ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Frequency Effect ◽  
Word Frequency Effect ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Decision Times

The word frequency effect is stronger in second language (L2) processing than in first language (L1) processing. According to the lexical entrenchment hypothesis, this difference is not due to a qualitative difference in word processing between L1 and L2, but can be explained by differences in exposure to the target language: People with less exposure to a language show a steeper frequency curve for that language. Exposure differences can be measured with a vocabulary test. The present study tested whether the lexical entrenchment hypothesis provides an adequate explanation for differences in lexical decision times. To this end, we compared the performance of 56 Dutch–English bilinguals to that of 1011 English L1 speakers on 420 English six-letter words. In line with previous research, the differences in the word frequency effect between word processing in L1 and in L2 became vanishingly small once vocabulary size was entered as a predictor. Only in a diffusion model analysis did we find some evidence that the information build-up may be slower in L1 than in L2, independent of vocabulary size. We further report effects of cognates, age-of-acquisition, and neighborhood size that can also be explained in terms of differences in exposure.

scholarly journals Inhibitory and facilitatory effects of phonological and orthographic similarity on L2 word recognition across modalities in bilinguals

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Candice Frances ◽  
Eugenia Navarra-Barindelli ◽  
Clara D. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Theoretical Implication ◽  
Phonological Similarity ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Visual Modality ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Auditory Modality ◽  
Orthographic Similarity ◽  
Special Category

AbstractLanguage perception studies on bilinguals often show that words that share form and meaning across languages (cognates) are easier to process than words that share only meaning. This facilitatory phenomenon is known as the cognate effect. Most previous studies have shown this effect visually, whereas the auditory modality as well as the interplay between type of similarity and modality remain largely unexplored. In this study, highly proficient late Spanish–English bilinguals carried out a lexical decision task in their second language, both visually and auditorily. Words had high or low phonological and orthographic similarity, fully crossed. We also included orthographically identical words (perfect cognates). Our results suggest that similarity in the same modality (i.e., orthographic similarity in the visual modality and phonological similarity in the auditory modality) leads to improved signal detection, whereas similarity across modalities hinders it. We provide support for the idea that perfect cognates are a special category within cognates. Results suggest a need for a conceptual and practical separation between types of similarity in cognate studies. The theoretical implication is that the representations of items are active in both modalities of the non-target language during language processing, which needs to be incorporated to our current processing models.

scholarly journals MEASUREMENT PROPERTIES OF A STANDARDIZED ELICITED IMITATION TEST: AN INTEGRATIVE DATA ANALYSIS

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-27
Author(s):  
Daniel R. Isbell ◽  
Young-A Son
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Data Analysis ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Item Difficulty ◽  
Measurement Properties ◽  
Linguistic Features ◽  
Elicited Imitation ◽  
Integrative Data Analysis ◽  
Rater Severity ◽  
Study Participants

Abstract Elicited Imitation Tests (EITs) are commonly used in second language acquisition (SLA)/bilingualism research contexts to assess the general oral proficiency of study participants. While previous studies have provided valuable EIT construct-related validity evidence, some key gaps remain. This study uses an integrative data analysis to further probe the validity of the Korean EIT score interpretations by examining the performances of 318 Korean learners (198 second language, 79 foreign language, and 41 heritage) on the Korean EIT scored by five different raters. Expanding on previous EIT validation efforts, this study (a) examined both inter-rater reliability and differences in rater severity, (b) explored measurement bias across subpopulations of language learners, (c) identified relevant linguistic features which relate to item difficulty, and (d) provided a norm-referenced interpretation for Korean EIT scores. Overall, findings suggest that the Korean EIT can be used in diverse SLA/bilingualism research contexts, as it measures ability similarly across subgroups and raters.

scholarly journals Factors Shaping Second Language Acquisition Among Adult Mexican Immigrants in Rural Immigrant Destinations

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-102
Author(s):  
Julia Albarracin ◽  
Guadalupe Cabedo-Timmons ◽  
Gloria Delany-Barmann
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
English Language ◽  
Mexican Immigrants ◽  
The United States ◽  
Grocery Store ◽  
Health Providers ◽  
Gateway Communities ◽  
Immigrant Destinations ◽  
Bank Tellers

This article investigated the intrinsic, extrinsic, and integrative orientations shaping reading and speaking English skills among adult Mexican immigrants in two gateway communities in Illinois. Intrinsic orientations refer to reasons for second language (L2) learning derived from one’s inherent pleasure and interest in the activity. Extrinsic orientations refer to reasons that are instrumental to some consequence. In turn, integrative orientation refers to social identity issues that are addressed by neither the intrinsic nor the extrinsic orientations. Findings indicated that whereas extrinsic and integrative orientations influenced English language skills, intrinsic orientations did not. More specifically, immigrants had multiple extrinsic reasons to be motivated to learn the language, including succeeding in the United States, finding (better) jobs, and communicating with health providers, bank tellers, and grocery store employees. In turn, both quantitative and qualitative analyses showed that closeness and openness toward L2 group influenced the desire to learn the language.

Learning written word vocabulary in a second language: Theoretical and practical implications

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 585-597 ◽  
Author(s):  
BRENDAN STUART WEEKES
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Executive Control ◽  
Short Term Memory ◽  
Serial Order ◽  
Memory Capacity ◽  
Written Word ◽  
One Year ◽  
Serial Order Memory

Short-term memory (STM) is required for second language learning. However, it is not clear what components of STM are necessary for the acquisition and lexicalisation of new written words. Studies suggest that memory for serial order is a critical cognitive process in spoken word acquisition although correlated mechanisms such as executive control also play a role. In this study, bilingual Cantonese–English speakers who are learning written expert words in a non-native language were tested over a one year period in their first year of instruction. Written word lexicalisation was measured using lexical decision and spelling to dictation tasks. Results showed measures of executive control (Stroop performance) and serial order memory capacity predict recognition and recall of written expert words at different stages. Whereas serial order memory predicts improvements to lexical decision accuracy, executive control predicts spelling to dictation performance after one year. The conclusion is that STM processes do constrain written word lexicalisation in a second language. However, executive control and serial order memory capacity have differential effects during word lexicalisation.

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