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Updated: May 1, 2026
05:38
Interaction between Phonological and Semantic Processes in Visual Word Recognition using Electrophysiology
Published on: June 29, 2021
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Form and Sound Activation in First Language During Second Language Word Recognition
Wei Shen1,2,3, Zhenyan Cai1,2,3, Siyu Lyu1,2,3
1Center for Cognition and Brain Disorders, the Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, China.
Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research : JSLHR
|April 30, 2026
Summary
Chinese-English bilinguals activate both Chinese orthographic and phonological representations when processing English words. L2 proficiency influences the timing of this cross-language activation during language processing.
Area of Science:
- Psycholinguistics
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Second Language Acquisition
Background:
- Bilingual language processing involves understanding how two languages interact within an individual's mind.
- Previous research suggests that bilinguals may access representations from their native language (L1) even when processing their second language (L2).
- The role of L2 proficiency in modulating cross-language activation remains an active area of investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether Chinese-English bilinguals activate L1 (Chinese) orthographic and phonological representations during L2 (English) word processing.
- To examine how varying levels of L2 proficiency affect this cross-language activation process.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the visual-world paradigm with 71 Chinese-English bilinguals (40 low, 31 high L2 proficiency).
- Participants viewed images while listening to an L2 word, with competitors designed to elicit orthographic or phonological interference from L1.
- Measured eye movements to assess fixation probabilities on target, competitor, and distractor images.
Main Results:
- Both low- and high-proficiency bilinguals showed significant orthographic and phonological competition effects, indicating cross-language activation.
- Orthographic competition effects appeared earlier in low-proficiency bilinguals and later in high-proficiency bilinguals.
- Phonological competition effects were observed early in both groups, with an additional later phase in high-proficiency bilinguals.
Conclusions:
- Chinese-English bilinguals demonstrate nonselective coactivation of both orthographic and phonological L1 representations during L2 word processing.
- L2 proficiency significantly modulates the temporal dynamics of orthographic and phonological activation from the L1 lexicon.
- These findings contribute to our understanding of the intricate interplay between L1 and L2 during bilingual language comprehension.
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