Simultaneous Acquisition of Words and Syntax: Effects of Exposure Condition and Declarative Memory.

Simón Ruiz,Patrick Rebuschat,Kaitlyn M Tagarelli

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01168

Abstract

This study examined the simultaneous acquisition of vocabulary and grammar by adult learners and the role of exposure condition and declarative memory. Most experimental studies investigating the acquisition of artificial or natural languages focus on either vocabulary or grammar, but not both. However, a systematic investigation of the simultaneous learning of multiple linguistic features is important given that it mirrors language learning outside the lab. Native English speakers were exposed to an artificial language under either incidental or intentional exposure conditions. Participants had to learn both novel pseudowords and word order patterns while also processing stimulus sentences for meaning. The results showed that adult learners are able to rapidly acquire basic syntactic information of a novel language while processing the input for meaning (plausibility judgments) and attempting to learn novel vocabulary at the same time. The results further indicated that exposure condition (incidental versus intentional) made no difference in terms of either vocabulary or grammar learning gains. Findings also revealed that learners developed explicit, not implicit, knowledge of lexis and syntax. Finally, the results indicated that individuals’ declarative memory capacity was not related to vocabulary learning but only to grammar learning. Our study underscores the importance of studying the simultaneous acquisition of different language features and from different perspectives of comprehension versus production, incidental versus intentional learning conditions, implicit/explicit knowledge, and individual differences in cognitive abilities.

Highlights

Extensive research using artificial and natural languages has investigated the incidental and intentional learning of vocabulary (e.g., Sonbul and Schmitt, 2013; Hamrick and Rebuschat, 2014; Khezrlou et al, 2017) and grammar (e.g., Indrarathne and Kormos, 2017; Rogers, 2017; Godfroid et al, 2018)
Participants in intentional exposure conditions are either given explicit instructions to search for patterns or are provided with metalinguistic information
We further examine the extent to which incidental versus intentional exposure conditions influence learning outcomes and the nature of acquired knowledge

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Extensive research using artificial and natural languages has investigated the incidental and intentional learning of vocabulary (e.g., Sonbul and Schmitt, 2013; Hamrick and Rebuschat, 2014; Khezrlou et al, 2017) and grammar (e.g., Indrarathne and Kormos, 2017; Rogers, 2017; Godfroid et al, 2018). This type of research is premised on the notion that the differential effects of instructional treatments are mediated by individual learner factors, resulting in aptitude-treatment interactions (Cronbach and Snow, 1977; see Vatz et al, 2013, for a review) Recent studies addressing this very issue have explored vocabulary (e.g., Malone, 2018; Yang et al, 2018) or grammar learning (e.g., Benson and DeKeyser, 2018; Faretta-Stutenberg and Morgan-Short, 2018) under different exposure conditions, but none have examined the simultaneous acquisition of vocabulary and grammar. We extend this line of work by investigating whether declarative memory influences L2 outcomes when words and syntax are acquired simultaneously under incidental and intentional exposure conditions while learners process the language for meaning. Regarding RQ4, we expected that declarative memory ability would correlate with both vocabulary and grammar learning in both exposure conditions (e.g., Morgan-Short et al, 2014; Hamrick, 2015; Ullman, 2015, 2016)

Participants

Procedure

RESULTS

DISCUSSION

ETHICS STATEMENT