Doctoral Dissertation Research: Morphology in Bilingual Language Processing

在美国国家科学基金会的支持下，Susan Bobb女士将在Judith Kroll博士的指导下为她的博士论文收集数据。本研究将探讨第二语言发展背后的认知过程。在过去的十年里，关于双语和第二语言学习的研究有了显著的增长。目前的许多研究表明，第二语言表现背后的认知结构具有显著的适应性，可以适应新语言的习得。然而，仍然存在一些限制。本研究的目的是进一步厘清语言学习的制约因素，并帮助解决尚未完全解决的问题。计划中的实验考察学习者和熟练双语者能够充分掌握第二语言语法知识的程度。这项拟议研究的具体目的是确定中级和高级英德双语者理解语法性别分配的能力（例如，das Glas“玻璃杯”）和解释复合名词的意义（例如，das Weinglas“葡萄酒杯”）。语法性别通常被认为是第二语言/外语难以习得的特征。特别是对于那些母语没有性别标记的语言，比如英语，人们提出了一个问题，即性别是否可以完全习得，以及在什么情况下可以完全习得。复合词作为德语中非常高产的一种形态过程，为研究这一习得过程和进一步明确二语性别习得的发展轨迹提供了理想的环境。目前的研究将提供数据，有助于解决目前关于第二语言学习者在多大程度上可以习得和处理非母语微妙方面的争论。该研究计划的目标是使用行为和神经认知方法（即事件相关电位）提供聚合证据，以扩大目前对双语语言处理中可能存在的限制的理解。结合以往对第二语言语义和句法的研究，当前对性别和复合词的研究将为深入理解语言理解提供基础。更全面地了解限制或允许充分使用第二语言的因素，以及调节语言处理的时间过程以促进理解的因素，将为制定可用于改进第二语言教学和教学法的策略提供基础。鉴于当代美国社会中许多人要求掌握一门语言的功能，如果不是完全熟练的话，计划中的研究为利用已知限制条件的教学方法带来了希望。这项研究还将有助于培养越来越多样化的语言科学家群体，包括本身就是双语的本科研究生，并促进国际科学合作。

With National Science Foundation support, Ms. Susan Bobb will collect data for her doctoral dissertation under the direction of Dr. Judith Kroll. This research will examine the cognitive processes underlying second language development. In the past decade there has been a notable increase in research investigating bilingualism and second language learning. Many of these current studies suggest that the cognitive architecture underlying second language performance is remarkably adaptive to accommodate acquisition of a new language. However, some limitations remain. The goal of the proposed research is to further clarify constraints to language learning and help address questions that have not yet been fully resolved. The planned experiments examine the degree to which learners and proficient bilinguals are able to fully access grammatical knowledge of the second language. The specific aim of the proposed research is to identify the ability of intermediate and advanced English-German bilinguals to comprehend the assignment of grammatical gender (e.g., das Glas 'the glass') and to interpret the meaning of compound nouns (e.g., das Weinglas 'the wineglas'). Grammatical gender is a feature that is typically considered difficult to acquire in a second/foreign language. Particularly for those whose native language does not mark gender, such as English, the question has been raised whether full acquisition of gender can take place and under which circumstances. As a morphological process which is very productive in German, compounding provides an ideal situation to investigate this acquisition process and further define the developmental trajectory of second language acquisition of gender. The current study will provide data that will contribute to the resolution of current debates about the degree to which second language learners can acquire and process subtle aspects of the non-native language. The goal of the proposed research program is to provide converging evidence using both behavioral as well as neurocognitive methods (i.e., event-related potentials) in order to broaden current understanding regarding possible constraints in bilingual language processing.Together with previous research on second language semantics and syntax, the current research on gender and compounds will provide a basis for developing a deeper understanding of language comprehension. A more complete understanding of the factors that restrict or enable full access to the second language and that modulate the time course of language processing for comprehension will provide a basis for developing strategies that can be used in improving second language instruction and pedagogy. Given the requirement for many in contemporary US society to acquire functional, if not full, proficiency in another language, the planned research holds promise for instructional approaches that make use of known constraints. The research will also contribute to the training of an increasingly diverse group of language scientists by including undergraduate research students who are themselves bilingual and by fostering international scientific collaboration.