Lexical retrieval in second language learners

Abstract

Bilingual lexical retrieval requires the ability to access, select, and produce words from the appropriate language according to the context or task requirements. One particular measure used to test the efficiency of word retrieval is the verbal fluency task. Research comparing monolingual with bilingual verbal fluency has primarily focused on heritage bilinguals and has resulted in mixed findings (Friesen et al. 2015; Gollan et al. 2002; Luo et al. 2010; Rosselli et al. 2000; Sandoval et al. 2010). Relatively little work has been done examining the verbal fluency of second language (L2) learners (Baus et al. 2013; Linck et al. 2009; Van Assche et al. 2013), especially relative to monolinguals (Ljungberg et al. 2013). This dissertation investigates the impact of L2 proficiency on learners’ ability to retrieve words in their first language (L1). To that end, 122 English monolingual and English-Spanish L2 learner/bilingual participants completed verbal fluency tasks. Analysis of their English performance reports word totals as well as word frequency, retrieval latencies, and the time-course of retrieval. Results suggest that highly proficient L2 bilinguals have an L1 retrieval advantage in task efficiency, specifically the ability to retrieve more words than monolinguals but with similar spread of production over time. This study is significant in its addition to our knowledge of how L2 study impacts the L1 lexical retrieval process.