Processing Pragmatic Inferences in L2 French Speakers

Autor/in	Destruel, Emilie
Titel	Processing Pragmatic Inferences in L2 French Speakers
Quelle	In: Second Language Research, 39 (2023) 4, S.969-995 (27 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Destruel, Emilie)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0267-6583
DOI	10.1177/02676583221110236
Schlagwörter	Language Processing; Inferences; French; Second Language Learning; Second Language Instruction; Prediction; Language Proficiency; Linguistic Input; Native Speakers; Task Analysis; Pragmatics; Grammar; Decision Making; English; Native Language; Undergraduate Students; Linguistic Theory; Foreign Countries; Comparative Analysis; Bilingualism; Measures (Individuals); France; United States + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Sprachverarbeitung; Inference; Inferenz; Französisch; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Fremdsprachenunterricht; Vorhersage; Language skill; Language skills; Sprachkompetenz; Sprachbildung; Muttersprachler; Aufgabenanalyse; Pragmalinguistik; Grammatik; Decision-making; Entscheidungsfindung; English language; Englisch; Linguistische Theorie; Ausland; Bilingualismus; Messdaten; Frankreich; USA
Abstract	A large amount of literature exists on how native speakers derive and process pragmatic inferences, yet few studies have examined the issue in second language learners, despite a controversial debate of second language (L2) ultimate attainment of phenomena situated at external interfaces. This study contributes to the debate on the integration of external interfaces in highly proficient end-state adult L2 grammars. In an effort to bridge the empirical gap in the past literature, this article reports on two sentence-picture verification tasks designed to test the processing cost of the exhaustive inference associated with cleft sentences in the L2 French of English learners with different proficiency levels. Truth-value judgments and reaction times were recorded in contexts that violated or supported the exhaustive inference. Overall, results show that L2 learners diverge from the natives in their online processing of the exhaustive inference only and that proficiency plays an important role in predicting their behavior. Nevertheless, what post-hoc observations of the data reveal is that L2 length of exposure to native input might be an even better predictor, since only those L2 speakers who have had more exposure to native French input compute the exhaustive inference in clefts as fast as French natives. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01