Doctoral Dissertation Research: Morphology in Bilingual Language Processing

博士论文研究：双语语言处理中的形态学

• 批准号: 0720155
• 负责人: Judith Kroll
• 金额: $ 1.2万
• 依托单位: Pennsylvania State Univ University Park
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-07-01 至 2008-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0720155&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Research; Morphology; Bilingual

With National Science Foundation support, Ms. Susan Bobb will collect data for her doctoral dissertation under the direction of Dr. Judith Kroll. This research will examine the cognitive processes underlying second language development. In the past decade there has been a notable increase in research investigating bilingualism and second language learning. Many of these current studies suggest that the cognitive architecture underlying second language performance is remarkably adaptive to accommodate acquisition of a new language. However, some limitations remain. The goal of the proposed research is to further clarify constraints to language learning and help address questions that have not yet been fully resolved. The planned experiments examine the degree to which learners and proficient bilinguals are able to fully access grammatical knowledge of the second language. The specific aim of the proposed research is to identify the ability of intermediate and advanced English-German bilinguals to comprehend the assignment of grammatical gender (e.g., das Glas 'the glass') and to interpret the meaning of compound nouns (e.g., das Weinglas 'the wineglas'). Grammatical gender is a feature that is typically considered difficult to acquire in a second/foreign language. Particularly for those whose native language does not mark gender, such as English, the question has been raised whether full acquisition of gender can take place and under which circumstances. As a morphological process which is very productive in German, compounding provides an ideal situation to investigate this acquisition process and further define the developmental trajectory of second language acquisition of gender. The current study will provide data that will contribute to the resolution of current debates about the degree to which second language learners can acquire and process subtle aspects of the non-native language. The goal of the proposed research program is to provide converging evidence using both behavioral as well as neurocognitive methods (i.e., event-related potentials) in order to broaden current understanding regarding possible constraints in bilingual language processing.Together with previous research on second language semantics and syntax, the current research on gender and compounds will provide a basis for developing a deeper understanding of language comprehension. A more complete understanding of the factors that restrict or enable full access to the second language and that modulate the time course of language processing for comprehension will provide a basis for developing strategies that can be used in improving second language instruction and pedagogy. Given the requirement for many in contemporary US society to acquire functional, if not full, proficiency in another language, the planned research holds promise for instructional approaches that make use of known constraints. The research will also contribute to the training of an increasingly diverse group of language scientists by including undergraduate research students who are themselves bilingual and by fostering international scientific collaboration.

在国家科学基金会的支持下，Susan Bobb 女士将在 Judith Kroll 博士的指导下为她的博士论文收集数据。这项研究将探讨第二语言发展背后的认知过程。在过去的十年中，双语和第二语言学习的研究显着增加。目前的许多研究表明，第二语言表现背后的认知结构非常适合适应新语言的习得。然而，仍然存在一些限制。拟议研究的目标是进一步澄清语言学习的限制并帮助解决尚未完全解决的问题。 计划进行的实验旨在检验学习者和熟练的双语者能够充分获取第二语言语法知识的程度。本研究的具体目的是确定中级和高级英德双语者理解语法性别分配（例如，das Glas“玻璃”）和解释复合名词含义（例如，das Weinglas）的能力。 “酒杯”）。语法性别通常被认为是第二语言/外语中难以掌握的一个特征。特别是对于那些母语不标记性别的人（例如英语），人们提出了是否可以以及在什么情况下完全习得性别的问题。作为德语中非常富有成效的形态过程，复合词为研究这一习得过程并进一步定义第二语言性别习得的发展轨迹提供了理想的情境。当前的研究将提供数据，有助于解决当前关于第二语言学习者能够在多大程度上习得和处理非母语微妙方面的争论。 拟议研究计划的目标是使用行为和神经认知方法（即事件相关电位）提供聚合证据，以扩大当前对双语语言处理中可能的限制的理解。与先前关于第二语言语义的研究一起和语法方面，当前对性别和复合词的研究将为更深入地理解语言理解提供基础。更全面地了解限制或允许完全使用第二语言以及调节理解语言处理时间过程的因素将为开发可用于改进第二语言教学和教学法的策略提供基础。鉴于当代美国社会中的许多人需要获得另一种语言的功能性（即使不是完全的）熟练程度，计划中的研究有望实现利用已知限制的教学方法。该研究还将通过纳入本身双语的本科研究生以及促进国际科学合作，为培养日益多元化的语言科学家群体做出贡献。