Home Linguistics & Semiotics Near-nativelike processing of contrastive focus in L2 French
Chapter
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

Near-nativelike processing of contrastive focus in L2 French

  • Robert Reichle
View more publications by John Benjamins Publishing Company
Search
Research in Second Language Processing and Parsing
This chapter is in the book Research in Second Language Processing and Parsing

Abstract

In this ERP study, native speakers and high- and low-proficiency L2 speakers of French were visually presented with instantiations of informational focus and contrastive focus. 14-channel electroencephalograms were recorded, and mean amplitude was calculated for windows 200–400 ms and 500–700 ms post-target word. For the processing of contrastive focus, native speakers showed a widespread increase in negativity compared to the processing of informational focus. High-proficiency L2 subjects also showed signs of increased negativity; low-proficiency L2 subjects did not. These results suggest the possibility of near-nativelike processing for high-proficiency L2 learners, but not for low-proficiency L2 learners; this finding is consistent with other recent ERP studies of L2 processing (e.g. Osterhout et al., 2006).

Abstract

In this ERP study, native speakers and high- and low-proficiency L2 speakers of French were visually presented with instantiations of informational focus and contrastive focus. 14-channel electroencephalograms were recorded, and mean amplitude was calculated for windows 200–400 ms and 500–700 ms post-target word. For the processing of contrastive focus, native speakers showed a widespread increase in negativity compared to the processing of informational focus. High-proficiency L2 subjects also showed signs of increased negativity; low-proficiency L2 subjects did not. These results suggest the possibility of near-nativelike processing for high-proficiency L2 learners, but not for low-proficiency L2 learners; this finding is consistent with other recent ERP studies of L2 processing (e.g. Osterhout et al., 2006).

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface vii
  4. Part I. Introduction
  5. Second language processing and parsing 3
  6. Part II. Relative clauses and wh -movement
  7. Relative clause attachment preferences of Turkish L2 speakers of English 27
  8. Evidence of syntactic constraints in the processing of wh -movement 65
  9. Constraints on L2 learners’ processing of wh-dependencies 87
  10. Part III. Gender and number
  11. The effects of linear distance and working memory on the processing of gender agreement in Spanish 113
  12. Feature assembly in early stages of L2 acquisition 135
  13. Part IV. Subjects and objects
  14. Second language processing in Japanese scrambled sentences 159
  15. Second language gap processing of Japanese scrambling under a Simpler Syntax account 177
  16. The processing of subject-object ambiguities by English and Dutch L2 learners of German 207
  17. Connections between processing, production and placement 231
  18. Part V. Phonology and lexicon
  19. The exploitation of fine phonetic detail in the processing of L2 French 259
  20. Translation ambiguity 281
  21. Part VI. Prosody and context
  22. Reading aloud in two languages 297
  23. Near-nativelike processing of contrastive focus in L2 French 321
  24. Author index 345
  25. Subject index 349
https://doi.org/10.1075/lald.53.14rei

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface vii
  4. Part I. Introduction
  5. Second language processing and parsing 3
  6. Part II. Relative clauses and wh -movement
  7. Relative clause attachment preferences of Turkish L2 speakers of English 27
  8. Evidence of syntactic constraints in the processing of wh -movement 65
  9. Constraints on L2 learners’ processing of wh-dependencies 87
  10. Part III. Gender and number
  11. The effects of linear distance and working memory on the processing of gender agreement in Spanish 113
  12. Feature assembly in early stages of L2 acquisition 135
  13. Part IV. Subjects and objects
  14. Second language processing in Japanese scrambled sentences 159
  15. Second language gap processing of Japanese scrambling under a Simpler Syntax account 177
  16. The processing of subject-object ambiguities by English and Dutch L2 learners of German 207
  17. Connections between processing, production and placement 231
  18. Part V. Phonology and lexicon
  19. The exploitation of fine phonetic detail in the processing of L2 French 259
  20. Translation ambiguity 281
  21. Part VI. Prosody and context
  22. Reading aloud in two languages 297
  23. Near-nativelike processing of contrastive focus in L2 French 321
  24. Author index 345
  25. Subject index 349
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2025 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 30.9.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1075/lald.53.14rei/html
Scroll to top button