Effect of proficiency on subject-verb agreement processing in French learners of English: An ERP study

Authors

  • Maud Pélissier Laboratoire CLILLAC-ARP, EA 3967, Université Paris Diderot, France Author
  • Jennifer Krzonowski Laboratoire DDL, UMR 5596, CNRS – Université Lyon 2, France Author
  • Emmanuel Ferragne Laboratoire CLILLAC-ARP, EA 3967, Université Paris Diderot, France Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36505/ExLing-2015/06/0017/000254

Keywords:

ERP, L2 processing, syntax, proficiency

Abstract

This study explored the effect of proficiency on the native-likeness of syntactic processing in a second language. ERP responses to violations of third-person singular subject-verb agreement were obtained from advanced and intermediate adult French learners of English as well as English native speakers. Our findings show a proficiency effect only in early ERP responses to violations, and suggest that the highest level of proficiency attainable through instruction in France is not enough to exhibit entirely native-like responses.

References

Fabiani, M., Gratton, G., Coles, M.G.H., 2000. Event-related brain potentials: Methods, theory. Handbook of psychophysiology 53–84.

Hahne, A., Friederici, A.D., 2001. Processing a second language: late learners’ comprehension mechanisms as revealed by event-related brain potentials. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition 4, 123–141. doi:10.1017/S1366728901000232

Morgan-Short, K., Steinhauer, K., Sanz, C., Ullman, M.T., 2012. Explicit and Implicit Second Language Training Differentially Affect the Achievement of Native-like Brain Activation Patterns. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience 24, 933–947. doi:10.1162/jocn_a_00119

Ojima, S., Nakata, H., Kakigi, R., 2005. An ERP study of second language learning after childhood: effects of proficiency. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience 17, 1212–1228. doi:10.1162/0898929055002436

Osterhout, L., Mclaughlin, J., Pitkänen, I., Frenck-Mestre, C., Molinaro, N., 2006. Novice Learners, Longitudinal Designs, and Event-Related Potentials: A Means for Exploring the Neurocognition of Second Language Processing. Language Learning 56, 199–230.

Rossi, S., Gugler, M.F., Friederici, A.D., Hahne, A., 2006. The Impact of Proficiency on Syntactic Second-language Processing of German and Italian: Evidence from Event-related Potentials. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience 18, 2030–2048. doi:10.1162/jocn.2006.18.12.2030

Tanner, D., Mclaughlin, J., Herschensohn, J., Osterhout, L., 2013. Individual differences reveal stages of L2 grammatical acquisition: ERP evidence. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition 16, 367–382. doi:10.1017/S1366728912000302.

Downloads

Published

01-01-2015

How to Cite

Effect of proficiency on subject-verb agreement processing in French learners of English: An ERP study. (2015). Linguistic Proceedings Series, 6(1), 65-68. https://doi.org/10.36505/ExLing-2015/06/0017/000254

Share

Similar Articles

1-10 of 170

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.