Work

The processing of bilingual (switched) compound verbs: Competition of words from different categories for lexical selection

Year: 2022

Type: article

Abstract: This paper investigates the production of Persian–English bilingual compound verbs (BCVs) of the type [VERB+VERB]. In this type of code-switched structure, a lexical verb from the donor language English is combined with a light verb from the native language Persian. We tested the hypothesis that in Persian–English BCVs English verbs occupy the nominal slots of monolingual Persian complex predicates of the type [NOMINAL+VERB]. Two methodologies were used. A conversational-corpus analysis confirmed our predictions that Persian–English BCVs have translation-equivalent Persian compound verbs, that the English verbs denote the same action as the nominal constituents of those monolingual constructions, and that the support verbs tend to correspond in both types of compound verbs. A bilingual picture-word interference experiment provided evidence suggesting that English verbs interfere with the production of the nominal constituents of complex Persian verbs in Persian-bilingual speakers. We conclude that words from different word categories can compete for lexical access.

Source: Bilingualism Language and Cognition

DOI: 10.1017/s1366728921001103

Authors: Mehdi Purmohammad, Constanze Vorwerg, Jubin Abutalebi

Institutions: Shahid Beheshti University, University of Bern, FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University

Language: English

Topic: Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism

Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,255

Funder: University of Bern