Brain signatures of nativeness in second language acquisition III

第二语言习得中母语的大脑特征3。本研究汇集了来自三个国家（加拿大、中国和英国）的语言学家、实验心理学家和神经科学家，旨在澄清第二语言习得领域的一些及时问题。第一个项目关注的是居住在蒙特利尔的中国移民的第一语言（L1）流失，他们的第二语言英语占主导地位，并报告说他们正在失去第一语言。使用脑电波测量（ERPs），我们将这些“属性者”的神经活动与4个对照组进行比较，以确定语言丧失的机制。我们的小组已经是这一领域的两个国际领先的实验室之一。这个项目是与中国的一个实验室合作的，这将给从事这项研究的博士生一个绝佳的机会，让他沉浸在国际研究中，同时完善他已经非常出色的中文水平，以及他先进的研究技能。第二个项目旨在确定第一语言和第二语言习得之间的神经认知异同。我们已经开发了一种实验范式（法语图片-句子匹配），既可以用于儿童学习第一语言，也可以用于成人学习第二语言。比较两组的大脑活动将揭示我们的假设是否正确，根据该假设，母语和第二语言习得的神经过程遵循相似的轨迹，受熟练程度的驱动。如果是这样的话，我们目前的第二语言习得模型也可以应用于儿童L1学习者。第三项研究是与伦敦玛丽女王学院的同事们的另一个合作项目。先前的研究强烈表明，第二语言学习者的形态句法处理困难可以通过增加对新语言的接触来克服。在这里，我们试图将这项研究扩展到西班牙语英语学习者，他们将西班牙语的“语音规则”应用于英语，并将“sport”等单词发音为“esport”。生产和感知错误之间的分离使我们产生了一种新的ERP设计，如果长时间接触L2并克服问题，它将有助于澄清潜在的机制和测试。最后一个项目将重复先前的一项研究，该研究表明内隐学习者学习第二语言的方式不同于明确指示的学习者。由于这项研究是用一种人造的微型语言进行的，因此尚不清楚这些数据是否可以推广。我们在课堂上的复制将回答这个问题。这个研究项目的第三阶段承诺产生重要的数据，不仅与语言学家、心理学家和神经科学家有关，而且与加拿大和其他地方的语言教师和移民有关。博士生将发挥关键作用，并在顶尖的神经科学技术方面接受世界一流的培训。这笔拨款将确保加拿大继续在第二语言习得的顶尖研究中处于领先地位。

"Brain signatures of nativeness in second language acquisition III." The present proposal brings together linguists, experimental psychologists, and neuroscientists from three countries (Canada, China, and the UK) in order to clarify a number of timely questions in the domain of second language (L2) acquisition. The first project focuses on first language (L1) attrition in Chinese immigrants, who have lived in Montreal, have become dominant in their English L2, and report losing their L1. Using brain wave measures (ERPs), we will compare the neural activity of these `attriters' to 4 control groups to identify the mechanisms of language loss. Our group is already one of the two leading labs in this area internationally. The project is a collaboration with a lab in China, which will give the PhD student working on this study an outstanding opportunity to get immersed in an international endeavour, while perfecting his already excellent command of Chinese - as well as his advanced research skills. A second project aims at identifying the neurocognitive similarities and differences between L1 and L2 acquisition. We have already developed an experimental paradigm (picture-sentence matching in French) that can be used in both children acquiring their L1 and adults learning their L2. Comparing the brain activity of both groups will reveal if our hypothesis is correct, according to which neural processes in both L1 and L2 acquisition follow a similar trajectory, driven by proficiency levels. If so, our current model for L2 acquisition could also be applied to child L1 learners. The third study is another collaborative project with colleagues at Queen Mary in London. Previous research strongly suggests that morphosyntactic processing difficulties in L2 learners can be overcome with increasing exposure to the new language. Here we try to extend this research to Spanish learners of English who apply their Spanish `phonotactic rules' to English and pronounce words like `sport' as `esport'. A dissociation between production and perception errors led us to a new ERP design that will help to clarify the underlying mechnisms and test, if long L2 exposure and overcome the problems. The last project will replicate a previous study that showed that implicit learners learn a second language different from explicitly instructed learners. As this study was run with an artificial miniature language, it is unclear if the data can be generalized. Our replication in the classroom will answer this question. Stage III of this research program promises to generate important data that are not only relevant for linguists, psychologists and neuroscientists, but also for language teachers and immigrants in Canada and elsewhere. PhD students will play a crucial role and receive world-class training in top-notch neuroscientific techniques. The grant will ensure that Canada will continue to be among the leaders in top-notch research on second language acquisition.