Still ‘native’? Morphological processing in second-language-immersed speakers

Sandra Kotzor,Swetlana Schuster,Aditi Lahiri

doi:10.1177/13670069211019480

Sandra Kotzor, Swetlana Schuster + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1177/13670069211019480

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Abstract

Aims and objectives/purpose/research questions: This paper investigates whether sustained immersion in a dominant second-language (L2) environment alters morphological processing strategies compared to those of L1-immersed speakers. Furthermore, we assess the methodological usefulness of a language-mode task in light of the validity of conducting native processing research on L2-immersed speakers. Design/methodology/approach: We use the design and stimuli of a previous long-lag visual lexical decision task conducted with native German speakers in Germany and use this group as a control. Thirty-two native German speakers resident in the UK (>2 years; minimal day-to-day German use) participated in two experimental sessions (one containing a 20-minute conversation task in German). Data and analysis: The data shows clear differences between facilitation patterns of L1 and L2-immersed participants. L2-immersed speakers display decreased sensitivity to subtle morphological differences as well as facilitation in a form condition similar to effects seen in L2 processing. Lexical decisions of pseudowords based on plausibility, however, remain similar. While the pre-experiment language-mode task resulted in overall faster responses, there was no effect on processing patterns. Findings/conclusions: L1 morphological processing is affected by continued exposure to a dominant second language with sensitivity to the internal structure or differences of morphologically complex items decreasing. The attrition group shows certain similarities to L2 morphological processing. Our findings also call for caution in the recruitment of L2-immersed experiment participants. Originality: Research on morphological processing in language attrition is scarce and no previous work has examined complex derived words. The addition of a principled manipulation of the pre-experiment task is also uncommon. Significance/implications: The possible similarity of L1-attrition and L2-learner processing challenges the concept of ‘native’ processing and the notion of ‘nativeness’ as a stable property. Further comparison of these populations may lead to a more thorough understanding of the adaptability of our processing system.

Highlights

The phenomenon of ‘losing your native language’ is well attested anecdotally as many speakers living in an environment where their native language is not the dominant language are aware of struggling with processes such as lexical retrieval
Using the stimulus set employed by Schuster and Lahiri (2018) in their Experiment 3 with L2-immersed native German speakers living in the UK, we aim to determine whether the sensitivity to degrees of derivational depth found in the L1-immersed speakers in Frankfurt remains stable in the context of a dominant second language
Our results indicate that the effect of a dominant L2 on the L1 system should not be underestimated and should be taken into account in participant recruitment

Summary

Introduction

The phenomenon of ‘losing your native language’ is well attested anecdotally as many speakers living in an environment where their native language is not the dominant language are aware of struggling with processes such as lexical retrieval. Marchman, 1993; Penfield, 1965) In monolingual speakers, this may well be broadly accurate (age effects aside). When a second language (L2) is added to the language system, this inevitably has an effect on the L1 (Schmid & Köpke, 2019). While many of these changes may remain largely undetected and are often not detrimental to the communicative behaviour of bilinguals, especially when both (or all) languages are used actively, bilinguals almost inevitably experience some degree of language attrition, especially in cases where the second language becomes dominant.. Greater changes are likely to be observed in younger attriters who become L2-dominant at an earlier age than in those who experience this dominance shift later (Kasparian et al, 2017)

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