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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 26, 2025

Interaction between Phonological and Semantic Processes in Visual Word Recognition using Electrophysiology

Interaction between Phonological and Semantic Processes in Visual Word Recognition using Electrophysiology

Published on: June 29, 2021

Cross-linguistic differences in parafoveal semantic and orthographic processing.

Leigh B Fernandez¹, Christoph Scheepers², Shanley E M Allen³

¹University of Kaiserslautern, Erwin-Schrödinger-Straße, Building 57, 67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany. leigh.fernandez@sowi.uni-kl.de.

Attention, Perception & Psychophysics

|July 27, 2021

Summary

This study shows that English second language (L2) learners benefit from partial German word information parafoveally during English reading. This suggests L2 readers utilize orthographic cues from their native language to aid processing.

Keywords:

Bilingual word recognition Cross-linguistic influence Eye movements and reading Parafoveal processing

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Eye Tracking During Visually Situated Language Comprehension: Flexibility and Limitations in Uncovering Visual Context Effects

Published on: November 30, 2018

Area of Science:

Psycholinguistics
Cognitive Neuroscience
Second Language Acquisition

Background:

Parafoveal processing, the visual processing of words outside the fixation point, is crucial for fluent reading.
Models of second language (L2) reading often overlook parafoveal processing, yet it may significantly impact L2 reading efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate parafoveal processing in English L1 (native) and L2 (late German learners) speakers reading English sentences.
To determine if L2 speakers utilize semantic and orthographic information from their L1 (German) during parafoveal processing in English.

Main Methods:

Gaze contingent boundary paradigm used to manipulate parafoveal masks presented before target words.
Six mask types manipulated: identical, English orthographic, English string, German (non-cognate), German orthographic, and German string.

Main Results:

Both L1 and L2 speakers showed an orthographic benefit when parafoveal masks were orthographically similar to the target word.
L2 speakers did not benefit from a full German non-cognate mask but did benefit from a partial German orthographic mask.
A non-cognate German orthographic mask (partial overlap) provided a benefit, suggesting L2 readers can leverage partial L1 orthographic information.

Conclusions:

The study provides the first evidence of a parafoveal non-cognate orthographic benefit in L2 sentence reading, specifically with partial orthographic overlap.
Findings suggest L2 readers may maintain both lexicons active, potentially incurring a switching cost for full L1 words but benefiting from partial cues.
Results necessitate incorporating parafoveal processing into models of L2 reading and bilingual word recognition.