Priming and Online Multiple Language Activation

Abstract

This chapter discusses cross-language activation in the course of processing language by bilingual speakers. We first discuss the cross-modal lexical priming paradigm (CMLP), a powerful tool to explore online multiple language activation. We next provide an overview of research concerning multiple language activation in the course of bilingual lexical processing. Finally, we present results of four experiments examining the effects of context in connected speech on cross-language priming in Spanish-English bilinguals. Participants in Experiment 1 listened to sentences in Spanish, their first language, and named Spanish and English targets, related or unrelated to a critical prime within the sentence. Experiment 2 was similar to Experiment 1, except that prior context was biased toward the critical prime. Experiments 3–4 were identical to Experiments 1–2, respectively, but with sentences in English, their second language. Comparable cross-language priming was observed for Experiments 1–2. Likewise, Experiments 3–4 showed similar priming patterns. However, the priming effect was significantly higher for the L2–L1 language direction. Results are discussed in terms of language dominance mechanisms and the Revised Hierarchical Model of bilingual memory representation.