Doctoral Dissertation Research: Processing of long-distance dependencies at the syntax-discourse interface: The case of Clitic Left Dislocation

长期以来，人们一直认为，随着年龄的增长，学习第二语言（L2）变得越来越困难。在Roumyana Slabacova博士的指导下，Tania Leal Mendez将研究两种关于学习者在关键习得期（大约在青春期开始时结束）之后试图掌握一门新语言时遇到的困难的描述。这些说法对母语/非母语处理不对称做出了对比预测——具体来说，这些差异是由于界面假说提出的缺乏自动性，还是由于二语学习者倾向于发展不太详细的语法表示，如浅结构假说提出的。本论文将测试每个假设的预测使用一个单一的语言结构：Clitic左错位（CLLD）在西班牙语。各种在线和离线的任务将被用来测试第二语言的知识，包括可接受性判断任务、熟练程度任务、自定节奏阅读任务、抑制控制测量和统计学习任务。基于先前在外语加工方面的研究，研究者假设在在线外语理解过程中，二语熟练程度和预测生成能力之间存在显著的关系。这个项目的结果将对第二语言教学产生影响。此外，该项目将为研究生共同项目负责人提供建立国际科学合作和传播项目成果的机会。

It has long been theorized that acquiring a second language (L2) becomes more difficult as a person ages.. Under the direction of Dr. Roumyana Slabacova, co-PI Tania Leal Mendez will examine two accounts of the difficulties learners encounter when attempting to master a new language after the critical acquisition period (which ends roughly with the onset of puberty). These accounts make contrasting predictions concerning native/non-native language processing asymmetries--specifically, whether these differences are due to lack of automaticity, as proposed by the Interface Hypothesis, or to the L2 learner's tendency to develop less detailed grammatical representations, as proposed by the Shallow Structure Hypothesis. This dissertation will test the predictions of each hypothesis using a single linguistic construction: Clitic Left Dislocation (CLLD) in Spanish. A variety of online and offline tasks will be used to test L2 knowledge of CLLD, including an acceptability judgment task, a proficiency task, a self-paced reading task, a measure of inhibitory control, and a statistical learning task. Based on previous work in L1 processing, the researchers hypothesize a significant relationship between L2 proficiency and increased prediction-generating abilities during on-line L2 comprehension. The results from this project will have implications for second language instruction. In addition, this project will provide the graduate-student co-PI with opportunities for building international scientific collaborations and for the dissemination of project findings.