L2 Processing of English Cleft Constructions: The Role of Referential Accessibility and NP Similarity
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This study investigates factors influencing L2 processing of English complex sentences with long-distance dependencies, building on evidence that L1 processing is shaped by factors such as referential accessibility and NP similarity. We examined how Korean-speaking L2 learners comprehend and process subject and object cleft constructions through a self-paced reading task that manipulated the types of noun phrases (definite NPs vs. pronouns) occupying the first and second NPs (e.g., subject cleft: It was the judge/me that ignored the doctor/you; object cleft: It was the judge/me that the doctor/you ignored). Sixty L2 learners and fourteen native speakers participated. Results showed that in object clefts, L2 learners had higher comprehension accuracy and faster reading times at the embedded verb when the second NP was a pronoun rather than a definite NP, indicating a facilitative effect of pronouns. This effect in reading times was more pronounced in the higher proficiency group, suggesting that sensitivity to the referential accessibility of second NPs increases with proficiency. However, no effect of NP similarity was observed as neither comprehension accuracy nor reading times at the sentence-final word differed between matched and mismatched NP combinations. These findings suggest that L2 learners' sentence processing is influenced by discourse-level factors, and their sensitivity to these factors develops with proficiency.
Abstract
This study investigates factors influencing L2 processing of English complex sentences with long-distance dependencies, building on evidence that L1 processing is shaped by factors such as referential accessibility and NP similarity. We examined how Korean-speaking L2 learners comprehend and process subject and object cleft constructions through a self-paced reading task that manipulated the types of noun phrases (definite NPs vs. pronouns) occupying the first and second NPs (e.g., subject cleft: It was the judge/me that ignored the doctor/you; object cleft: It was the judge/me that the doctor/you ignored). Sixty L2 learners and fourteen native speakers participated. Results showed that in object clefts, L2 learners had higher comprehension accuracy and faster reading times at the embedded verb when the second NP was a pronoun rather than a definite NP, indicating a facilitative effect of pronouns. This effect in reading times was more pronounced in the higher proficiency group, suggesting that sensitivity to the referential accessibility of second NPs increases with proficiency. However, no effect of NP similarity was observed as neither comprehension accuracy nor reading times at the sentence-final word differed between matched and mismatched NP combinations. These findings suggest that L2 learners' sentence processing is influenced by discourse-level factors, and their sensitivity to these factors develops with proficiency.