Bilingual Language Processing and Interference in Bilinguals: Evidence From Eye Tracking and Picture Naming

Abstract

Recognition and interference of a nontarget language (Russian) during production in a target language (English) were tested in Russian‐English bilinguals using eye movements and picture naming. In Experiment 1, Russian words drew more eye movements and delayed English naming to a greater extent than control nonwords and English translation equivalents. In Experiment 2, Russian words spelled using English‐specific letters drew more eye movements than control nonwords and English translation equivalents; however, both Russian words and nonword controls delayed English naming. Results of the two experiments suggest that nontarget‐language information is processed during a target‐language task. Recognition and production in bilinguals might function within distinct constraints, with recognition sensitive to lexical information (target and nontarget) and production sensitive to phonological information (lexical and nonlexical).