An investigation of the automatization process in language processing with respect to the development of foreign language proficiency

本研究试图通过心理语言学和生理学实验来探讨外语学习者语言理解和产出的自动化过程。主要研究结果如下：（1）对句法加工产生认知负荷的句法测试的S分显著低于其他类型的句法测试，并且与英语水平得分显著相关。英语水平在很大程度上取决于句法加工的自动化程度。（2）随着学习者流利程度的提高，完成句子构建任务（句法加工）的过程变得更加自动化，并且第二语言流利程度高的学习者比第二语言流利程度低的学习者有更多的认知资源用于故事理解。

This project attempted to ecplore the automatization process for langauge comprehension and production by foreign language learners through psycholingusitic and physiological experiments. The major findings are as follows: (1)Sscores on the RST, which places a cognitive load on syntactic processing in particular, was significantly poorer than those of other types of RSTs and correlated significantly with English proficiency scores. English proficiency largely depends on the degree of automatization of syntactic processing. (2)The process required to carry out the sentence building task(syntactic processing) becomes more automatic as the learners' fluency level increases, and the learners with higher L2 fluency had the option of allocating more of their cognitive resources to story comprehension than did the learners with lower L2 fluency.