Factors affecting the duration of native and second-language sentences produced in unspeeded and speeded conditions

Abstract

The aim of this study was to provide insight into why non-natives generally produce longer second-language (L2) sentences than native speakers do. Four groups of 16 Italian–English bilinguals were recruited in Ottawa based on orthogonal differences in age of arrival (AOA) to Canada from Italy (early versus late) and self-reported percentage Italian use (low-L1 use versus high-L1 use). The bilinguals repeated duration-matched English and Italian sentences presented via a loudspeaker in an ‘‘unspeeded’’ condition, then as rapidly as possible (the ‘‘speeded’’ condition). The same effect of AOA was obtained in both conditions despite a 20% reduction in sentence duration in the speeded condition. That is, the early bilinguals produced significantly shorter English than Italian sentences, whereas the late bilinguals produced significantly longer English than Italian sentences. Different L1 use effects were obtained in the two conditions, however. In the unspeeded condition, the low-L1-use bilinguals produced shorter English than Italian sentences, with a nonsignificant effect of language for high-L1-use bilinguals. In the speeded condition, high-L1-use bilinguals produced shorter Italian than English sentences, with no language effect for the low-L1-use bilinguals. The underlying bases of AOA and L1 use effects on L2 sentence production will be discussed. [Work supported by NIH.]