Reduced Frontal Activation with Increasing 2nd Language Proficiency

Autor/inn/en	Stein, Maria; Federspiel, Andrea; Koenig, Thomas; Wirth, Miranka; Lehmann, Christoph; Wiest, Roland; Strik, Werner; Brandeis, Daniel; Dierks, Thomas
Titel	Reduced Frontal Activation with Increasing 2nd Language Proficiency
Quelle	In: Neuropsychologia, 47 (2009) 13, S.2712-2720 (9 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0028-3932
DOI	10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2009.05.023
Schlagwörter	Semantics; Second Language Learning; German; Language Proficiency; Vocabulary; Brain Hemisphere Functions; Language Processing; Longitudinal Studies; Foreign Students; Exchange Programs; Diagnostic Tests; Language Acquisition; English; Native Speakers + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Semantik; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Deutscher; Language skill; Language skills; Sprachkompetenz; Wortschatz; Sprachverarbeitung; Longitudinal study; Longitudinal method; Longitudinal methods; Längsschnittuntersuchung; Exchange programme; Exchange program; Exchange programmes; Austauschprogramm; Diagnostic test; Diagnostischer Test; Sprachaneignung; Spracherwerb; English language; Englisch; Muttersprachler
Abstract	The factors influencing the degree of separation or overlap in the neuronal networks responsible for the processing of first and second language are still subject to investigation. This longitudinal study investigates how increasing second language proficiency influences activation differences during lexico-semantic processing of first and second language. Native English speaking exchange students learning German were examined with functional magnetic resonance imaging while reading words in three different languages at two points in time: at the beginning of their stay (day 1) and 5 months later (day 2), when second language proficiency had significantly increased. On day 1, second language words evoked more frontal activation than words from the mother tongue. These differences were diminished on day 2. We therefore conclude that with increasing second language proficiency, lexico-semantic processing of second language words needs less frontal control. Our results demonstrate that lexico-semantic processing of first and second language converges onto similar networks as second language proficiency increases. (Contains 4 figures and 4 tables.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10