Startseite Second language processing of English past tense morphology: The role of working memory
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Second language processing of English past tense morphology: The role of working memory

  • Filiz Rızaoğlu EMAIL logo und Ayşe Gürel
Veröffentlicht/Copyright: 1. September 2020

Abstract

This study examines, via a masked priming task, the processing of English regular and irregular past tense morphology in proficient second language (L2) learners and native speakers in relation to working memory capacity (WMC), as measured by the Automated Reading Span (ARSPAN) and Operation Span (AOSPAN) tasks. The findings revealed quantitative group differences in the form of slower reaction times (RTs) in the L2-English group. While no correlation was found between the morphological processing patterns and WMC in either group, there was a negative relationship between English and Turkish ARSPAN scores and the speed of word recognition in the L2 group. Overall, comparable decompositional processing patterns found in both groups suggest that, like native speakers, high-proficiency L2 learners are sensitive to the morphological structure of the target language.


Corresponding author: Filiz Rızaoğlu, Foreign Language Education, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey, E-mail:

Funding source: DPT-ÖYP Project

Award Identifier / Grant number: 2012K120490

Funding source: TÜBİTAK-1001 project

Award Identifier / Grant number: 112K183

Acknowledgement

This study was supported by grants from the DPT-ÖYP Project (to Filiz Rızaoğlu) (No: 2012K120490) and from the TÜBİTAK-1001 project (to Ayse Gürel) (Project No: 112K183).

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Supplementary Material

The online version of this article offers supplementary material (https://doi.org/10.1515/iral-2019-0005).

Published Online: 2020-09-01
Published in Print: 2022-09-27

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