Work

The influence of cognate verbs on adults’ acquisition of cross-linguistically similar and dissimilar L2 structures

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Cognates’ cross-linguistic formal similarity causes them to be more activated than non-cognates. Based on the Modular Online Growth and Use of Language framework (Sharwood Smith & Truscott, 2014, The Multilingual Mind: A Modular Processing Perspective , Cambridge University Press), the stronger activation of cognates compared to non-cognates should spread to any L2 structures containing them, leading to greater syntax learning. This should occur for cross-linguistically dissimilar structures but not for cross-linguistically similar ones, processed using L1 syntax. In Experiment 1, two groups of Spanish natives learnt Spanish–Basque non-cognate nouns and cognate or non-cognate verbs. Then, they were exposed to L2 structures dissimilar to Spanish via sentence–picture pairs. A picture-description task with non-cognates tested syntax learning. In Experiment 2, the learning targets were L2 structures similar to Spanish. Exposure to the structures with cognates, as opposed to non-cognates, resulted in greater learning only in Experiment 1. From this, we conclude that cognates facilitate L2 syntax acquisition, but only when the structures cannot be processed using the native language.

Source: Bilingualism Language and Cognition

DOI: 10.1017/s1366728925100692

Authors: Noèlia Sanahuja, Ruth de Diego-Balaguer, Kepa Erdocia

Institutions: University of the Basque Country, Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Institut d'Investigació Biomédica de Bellvitge, Universitat de Barcelona

Language: English

Topic: Second Language Acquisition and Learning

Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,550

Funders: Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Eusko Jaurlaritza, Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea