Bilingual Brains Learn to Use L2 Alliterations Covertly like Poets: Brain ERP Evidence
Bilinguals were documented to access their native or first language (L1) during comprehension of their second languages (L2). However, it is uncertain whether they can access L2 when reading their first language. This study used the event-related potential (ERP) technique to demonstrate the implicit...
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2021-09-01
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doaj-0cc829c88b684c3b88214fa4a71d36302021-09-21T14:58:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782021-09-011210.3389/fpsyg.2021.691846691846Bilingual Brains Learn to Use L2 Alliterations Covertly like Poets: Brain ERP EvidenceSiqin Yang0Xiaochen Zhang1Minghu Jiang2Center for Psychology and Cognitive Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, ChinaShanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaCenter for Psychology and Cognitive Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, ChinaBilinguals were documented to access their native or first language (L1) during comprehension of their second languages (L2). However, it is uncertain whether they can access L2 when reading their first language. This study used the event-related potential (ERP) technique to demonstrate the implicit and unconscious access to English words when Chinese–English bilinguals read words in Chinese, their native language. The participants were asked to judge whether the Chinese words presented in pairs were semantically related or not, meanwhile unconscious of the occasional alliteration (repetition of the first phoneme) if the Chinese words were translated into English. While the concealed prime in English translations failed to affect the reaction time, the alliteration significantly modulated N400 among advanced English learners, especially for semantically unrelated word pairs. Critically, this modulation effect was discrepant between bilinguals with high-level and normal-level English proficiency. These results indicate that L2 activation is an unconscious correlate of native-language processing depending on L2 proficiency.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.691846/fullbilingualsecond-language acquisitionnative-language processingcovert translationprimingalliteration |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Siqin Yang Xiaochen Zhang Minghu Jiang |
spellingShingle |
Siqin Yang Xiaochen Zhang Minghu Jiang Bilingual Brains Learn to Use L2 Alliterations Covertly like Poets: Brain ERP Evidence Frontiers in Psychology bilingual second-language acquisition native-language processing covert translation priming alliteration |
author_facet |
Siqin Yang Xiaochen Zhang Minghu Jiang |
author_sort |
Siqin Yang |
title |
Bilingual Brains Learn to Use L2 Alliterations Covertly like Poets: Brain ERP Evidence |
title_short |
Bilingual Brains Learn to Use L2 Alliterations Covertly like Poets: Brain ERP Evidence |
title_full |
Bilingual Brains Learn to Use L2 Alliterations Covertly like Poets: Brain ERP Evidence |
title_fullStr |
Bilingual Brains Learn to Use L2 Alliterations Covertly like Poets: Brain ERP Evidence |
title_full_unstemmed |
Bilingual Brains Learn to Use L2 Alliterations Covertly like Poets: Brain ERP Evidence |
title_sort |
bilingual brains learn to use l2 alliterations covertly like poets: brain erp evidence |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
series |
Frontiers in Psychology |
issn |
1664-1078 |
publishDate |
2021-09-01 |
description |
Bilinguals were documented to access their native or first language (L1) during comprehension of their second languages (L2). However, it is uncertain whether they can access L2 when reading their first language. This study used the event-related potential (ERP) technique to demonstrate the implicit and unconscious access to English words when Chinese–English bilinguals read words in Chinese, their native language. The participants were asked to judge whether the Chinese words presented in pairs were semantically related or not, meanwhile unconscious of the occasional alliteration (repetition of the first phoneme) if the Chinese words were translated into English. While the concealed prime in English translations failed to affect the reaction time, the alliteration significantly modulated N400 among advanced English learners, especially for semantically unrelated word pairs. Critically, this modulation effect was discrepant between bilinguals with high-level and normal-level English proficiency. These results indicate that L2 activation is an unconscious correlate of native-language processing depending on L2 proficiency. |
topic |
bilingual second-language acquisition native-language processing covert translation priming alliteration |
url |
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.691846/full |
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