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Updated: Jun 2, 2026
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Interaction between Phonological and Semantic Processes in Visual Word Recognition using Electrophysiology
Published on: June 29, 2021
Knowledge of a second language influences auditory word recognition in the native language
Evelyne Lagrou1, Robert J Hartsuiker, Wouter Duyck
1Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. evelyne.lagrou@ugent.be
Summary
Bilinguals show non-selective lexical access when listening in either their native or second language. This cross-lingual interaction occurs regardless of the speaker's native language or accent.
Area of Science:
- Psycholinguistics
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Second Language Acquisition
Background:
- Bilingual visual word recognition suggests non-selective lexical access.
- Auditory bilingual word recognition research is limited, with mixed findings on language selectivity.
- Previous studies have not fully explored cross-lingual influences in both directions (L1 on L2 and L2 on L1) or the impact of speaker accent.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if native language (L1) knowledge influences second language (L2) auditory word recognition.
- To determine if L2 knowledge affects L1 auditory word recognition.
- To examine if the speaker's native language (and accent) influences bilingual listeners' lexical access selectivity.
Main Methods:
- Conducted auditory lexical decision tasks in English and Dutch with Dutch-English bilinguals.
- Included English monolinguals as a control group for the English task.
- Used target words pronounced by native Dutch speakers (L2 English) and native English speakers (L2 Dutch).
Main Results:
- Dutch-English bilinguals recognized interlingual homophones significantly slower than control words in both L1 and L2 tasks.
- English monolinguals showed no such effect, indicating the interaction is specific to bilinguals.
- The observed effect persisted regardless of whether the speaker was a native Dutch or native English speaker.
Conclusions:
- Lexical access in bilingual auditory word recognition is not language selective, affecting both L1 and L2.
- Cross-lingual interactions occur in auditory processing, demonstrating a pervasive influence of both languages.
- Subphonological cues specific to a language do not prevent these cross-lingual interactions in bilinguals.
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