Native-like Event-related Potentials in Processing the Second Language Syntax: Late Bilinguals

Background: The P۶۰۰ brain wave reflects syntactic processes in response to different first language (L۱) syntactic violations, syntactic repair, structural reanalysis, and specific semantic components. Unlike semantic processing, aspects of the second language (L۲) syntactic processing differ from the L۱, particularly at lower levels of proficiency. At higher L۲ proficiency, syntactic violations are more likely to result in P۶۰۰, similar to the L۱ native speakers. Objectives: This study aims to assess the effect of proficiency on L۲ syntactic processing in late bilinguals and determine whether L۱-like cerebral activation patterns will result. Materials & Methods: In this descriptive quantitative research, the subjects were two groups of Persian-English bilinguals (L۱=Persian, L۲=English; n=۱۰ high-proficient, n=۱۰ low-proficient; gender=female who started learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) after the age of ۱۵ through explicit instructions. Within the violation paradigm, Event-related Potentials (ERPs) were collected from the subjects in the neurocognitive lab of Shahid Beheshti University, Iran, in ۲۰۱۹- ۲۰. The experimental trials of the ERP task included violated English regular past tense verbs. ERP components were compared with those of the L۱ (components closer to P۶۰۰). Results: The t-value for P۶۰۰ peak latency differed significantly only for the Incorrect past tense verb (ICV) condition and only in O۲ (P=۰.۰۳۹۴۶۳, t=۲.۲۲۰۵, CI: ۰.۰۰۳۱۱۲- ۰.۱۱۲۴۹, P<۰.۰۵) between the two groups (higher in the high proficient group). Conclusion: P۶۰۰ for the high-proficient group demonstrated that L۲ proficiency was a more determinant factor in L۱-like cortical representation of L۲ than the age of acquisition and or the type of context.

کلیدواژه ها:

Language ، Semantics ، Brain waves