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Examining Online Syntactic Processing of Spoken Complex Sentences in Chinese Using Dual-Modal Interference Tasks
Published on: September 5, 2019
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Representation and Processing of L2 Compositional Multiword Sequences: Effects of Token Frequency, Type Frequency,
1English Department, School of Foreign Languages, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China.
Behavioral Sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 26, 2025
Summary
This study shows how L2 English speakers process multiword sequences. Token frequency and structure significantly impact processing, with phrasal sequences being easier to understand.
Area of Science:
- Second Language Acquisition
- Psycholinguistics
- Computational Linguistics
Background:
- Compositional multiword sequences (CMS) are crucial for fluent L2 English.
- Understanding how L2 learners process these sequences informs acquisition theories.
- Factors like frequency and structure may influence L2 CMS processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of token frequency, type frequency, and constituency on L2 English CMS processing.
- To examine these effects across different L2 proficiency levels.
- To provide insights into the cognitive mechanisms of L2 multiword unit acquisition.
Main Methods:
- An online phrasal decision task was employed.
- Sixty Chinese learners of English at two proficiency levels participated.
- Token frequency, type frequency, and constituency were manipulated and analyzed.
Main Results:
- Token frequency significantly affected processing for both phrasal and non-phrasal CMSs.
- Type frequency effects varied by proficiency and token frequency, suggesting a gradient influence.
- Phrasal CMSs were processed more efficiently than non-phrasal ones, highlighting the role of structural integrity.
Conclusions:
- L2 learners' mental representations include both phrasal and non-phrasal CMSs.
- Type frequency's impact is complex and proficiency-dependent.
- Constituency is a key factor in efficient L2 CMS processing, with structural integrity being paramount.
Keywords:
L2 proficiencycompositional multiword sequenceconstituencyphrase frameschematoken frequencytype frequencyMore Related Videos
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