Long-Term Memory Trace Activation for Vowels Depends on the Mother Tongue and the Linguistic Context

Abstract

Abstract. The perception of native speech sounds is based on the automatically responding long-term memory traces. In second language (L2) learning, the perception of the target language speech sounds is filtered through the first language (L1) system, but new memory traces for L2 sounds may also evolve in cases of immigration. However, it seems that these new native-like memory traces are not formed in the context of classroom learning or early immersion. In experimental procedures, the language of the experimental setting is rarely varied systematically. We tested the effects of linguistic context on two groups of advanced Finnish students of English to see whether automatic and preattentive perception could also be affected by the linguistic context and explicit instructions. The first group was not informed as to whether the vowels were Finnish or English while the second group received explicit information in English that they were listening to English vowels. The results showed, firstly, that the latency of the mismatch negativity (MMN) response is affected by the mother tongue and, secondly, that the elicitation of the response seems to depend upon the linguistic context or explicit knowledge, i.e., on whether the subjects knew to which language they were listening. This implies that there may be two independent phonological systems, with the L1 system being primary, in advanced language learners, and that the preattentive perception may also be affected by contextual factors.