How Orthographic Transparency Shapes Word Learning and Retention in Monolingual and Bilingual Adults

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Linguistics
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Understanding how orthographic characteristics affect word learning is crucial for reading acquisition.
• Bilingualism introduces complex interactions between language experience and cognitive processes.
• Investigating novel word learning provides insights into fundamental mechanisms of memory and language processing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of English-like (opaque) versus Welsh-like (transparent) orthotactics on novel written word learning and retention.
• To compare learning trajectories and recognition performance between monolingual English and bilingual Welsh-English adults.
• To determine if language experience predicts learning and recognition outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Participants learned pseudowords with either opaque or transparent orthotactic patterns.
• A paired-associate learning paradigm with repeated training cycles was employed.
• Word recognition tasks assessed accuracy, sensitivity (d'), and reaction time one to two days post-training.

Main Results:

• Monolingual and bilingual participants showed similar learning for English-like words.
• Bilinguals demonstrated steeper accuracy increases for English-like over Welsh-like words in later learning cycles.
• Recognition accuracy and sensitivity did not differ, but English-like words were recognized faster.

Conclusions:

• Orthographic characteristics and language experience significantly affect the efficiency of learning and accessing novel written words.
• While initial learning efficiency varies, long-term recognition accuracy converges across different orthographic conditions after consolidation.
• Welsh vocabulary knowledge and language exposure did not directly predict learning or recognition performance in this context.