Journal of Psycholinguistic Research最新文献

The purpose of this study was to consider the core of the mental lexicon of the Kazakh language based on the analysis of associative dictionaries, to determine the basic lexico-semantic groups of words and to compare the basic lexical layer with value categories. This study uses the following methods of linguocultural, comparative, lexico-semantic, and conceptual analysis, as well as analytical and synthetic analysis, with the help of which the main conceptual values of the Kazakh people were studied: spiritual, mental and material. The lexico-semantic categories of words in the Kazakh language were identified: names of people; adjectives with an assessment of reality; basic action verbs; nouns with abstract meanings. An idea was formed about the differences between the conceptual cores of the mental lexicon of the Kazakhs, the British, and the Spaniards. The principles of intercultural communication and ways of its implementation were considered on the example of the study of the Kazakh language from the point of view of linguistic culture. The basic concepts and their semantic meanings were compared based on the analysis of the linguistic nature of lexemes in the Kazakh, English and Spanish languages. Tables with the results of the study were presented to illustrate the results obtained. This study can be used in further scientific practice, for example, in linguocultural, sociocultural, historical, lexicographic, and conceptual studies.

This study uses a data-driven approach to mine the distribution of personality traits among Chinese people in the Chinese social context. Based on the hypothesis of personality lexicology, word embedding technology was employed in machine learning to mine personality vocabulary from Tencent's word embedding database. More than 10,000 Chinese personality descriptors were extracted and analyzed using Gaussian Mixture Model Cluster and Hierarchical clustering analysis. The data was collected from 658 Chinese people randomly from all parts of China through an online questionnaire method. The results reveal six personality traits in the Chinese context, expanding the personality thesaurus and providing examples to illustrate each trait. The findings coincide with previous research on the five-factor model, which partially describes the personality traits of Chinese people, but does not offer a complete explanation of their typical social behavior patterns. Additionally, the study supports the notion of cultural particularity in personality traits. The approach used in this study offers a richer personality vocabulary than traditional personality mining methods, and word embedding technology captures richer semantic information in Chinese. The six Chinese personality traits identified in this study will also be used to explore how to quantify and evaluate personality traits based on word embedding and personality descriptors.

The article deals with language reflection, verbalization through metatexts, and interpretation. The expression of language reflection is defined in the works of writers and poets. The research is directed at investigating the text, realizing the process of interpreting the works of great poet A. Kunanbayev from the point of linguistic consciousness, and determining the results. The poet conveys information by utilizing various language tools and constructs that prompt self-questioning. The definitions of concepts, classifications, and characteristics related to language reflection are given. The authors aimed to identify language reflection in A. Kunanbayev's works, classify reflexives marking the language reflection of the author, modeling them using the G. Gibbs' model, and comparing them with the psycholinguistic survey materials within the framework of reflexive linguistics. The authors agree that there are two classifications of reflexives, such as metatextual commentary and metalanguage interpretation. As a result of the study, the poet's self-reflection consisted of 6 elements (Gibbs' cycle), through the lexico-semantic analysis of the reflexives the poet's language units were classified as metatextual commentary and the respondents' answers as metalanguage interpretation. The syntactic structures of the language reflexives were determined, and it was found that they are often in interrogative and negative forms. According to the purpose of the article, the reflexives in the poet's poem were identified and classified into four groups (Describing the poet or providing additional information; Working on yourself; Working with character; Positive assessment) by the semantic nature of the respondents' interpretation of the work as a result of the psycholinguistic experiment.

The availability of a first language translation equivalent (i.e., congruency) has repeatedly been shown to influence second-language collocation processing in decontextualized tasks. However, no study to date has examined how L2 speakers process congruent/incongruent collocations on-line in a real-world context. The present study aimed to fill this gap by examining the eye-movement behavior of 31 Arabic-English speakers and 30 native English speakers as they read 20 congruent and 20 incongruent collocations (in addition to 40 control phrases) in short contexts. The study also examined possible modulating effects of proficiency level and transparency on congruency effects. Results showed that non-natives (similar to native speakers) showed a processing advantage for collocations over control phrases. However, there was no effect of congruency (i.e., no difference between congruent and incongruent collocations) for either group, and no modulating effect of proficiency or transparency on congruency. We discuss implications of the findings for theories of L2 lexical processing.

The present study examines the impact of implementing video captioning and subtitles on listening comprehension with special reference to the speaker's speed. A total of 64 undergraduate Saudi EFL learners were assigned into six groups: fast speaker with full captioning, fast speaker with subtitles, fast speaker with no captioning nor subtitles, slow speaker with full captioning, and slow speaker with subtitles, slow speaker with no captioning nor subtitles. Each group was instructed to watch a video in English under its assigned condition and then answered a listening test. Participants also answered a questionnaire to determine the impact of these conditions on their cognitive load. The results revealed that the group that viewed the video of slow speakers with a caption obtained the highest score on the listening comprehension test, followed by the group that viewed the video of fast speakers with a caption. The group that viewed no caption video of fast speakers obtained the lowest scores. The questionnaire analysis indicated that the students in the subtitle slow group reported using low mental effort, whereas the students in the caption fast group reported using very high mental effort followed by the students in the caption slow group who also reported using high mental effort.

This study aimed to examine the validity of the "simple view of reading" (SVR) model in the diglossic Arabic language. Using a longitudinal design, we tested whether decoding and listening comprehension (LC) in kindergarten can later predict reading comprehension (RC) in the first grade and whether the contribution of LC to RC differs between the spoken and literary varieties of Arabic. The participants were 261 kindergartners who were followed to the first grade. Our results from separate SEM analysis for the spoken and literary varieties revealed some similarity between the explained variance in the spoken (52%) and literary (48%) variety models. However, while the contribution of LC to RC was higher than the contribution of decoding in the spoken variety model, an opposite pattern was observed in the literary variety model. The results are discussed in light of the diglossia phenomenon and its impact on comprehension skills in Arabic, with theoretical and pedagogical implications.

It has been well documented that formulaic language (such as collocations; e.g., provide information) enjoys a processing advantage over novel language (e.g., compare information). In natural language use, however, many formulaic sequences are often inserted with words intervening in between the individual constituents (e.g., provided information → provide some of the information). Whether or not the processing advantage persists in nonadjacent forms remains largely unknown. The present study thus sought to address this gap by recording the eye movements of Chinese native speakers when they were reading sentences embedded with formulaic sequences (high frequency collocations) versus novel phrases (low frequency controls), in their adjacent (e.g., 'resolve difficulties' vs. 'experience difficulties'), short-insertion (e.g., 'resolve these difficulties' vs. 'experience these difficulties'), and long-insertion forms (e.g., 'resolved so many difficulties' vs. 'experienced so many difficulties'). Results suggested that the processing advantage for formulaic language over novel language existed not only in their adjacent form, but also in their short-insertion form, albeit the magnitude of the processing advantage diminished with the increase of insertion length. The persistence of FL processing advantage is in line with usage-based approach to language learning, processing, and use.

The present study explored how negative emotional orientations (i.e., anxiety, boredom, and demotivation) may contribute to English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' willingness to communicate (WTC) in in-person and online classes. In doing so, a total of 290 university students majoring in English were recruited to fill in a set of scales. The structural equation modeling analysis indicated that foreign language classroom anxiety (FLA) and L2 demotivation have a direct impact on EFL learners' in-person and online L2WTC. While L2 demotivation was the strongest significant predictor of learners' in-person L2WTC, FLA was the strongest predictor of online L2WTC. Additionally, there was a positive correlation among FLA, L2 demotivation, and foreign language classroom boredom (FLB). While FLA demonstrated no direct impact on communication willingness, it exhibited significant indirect paths to in-person L2WTC via the full mediation of L2 demotivation and FLA . Although the result did not show any significant direct impact of FLB on online L2WTC, it had a small yet significant indirect path to online L2WTC through the full mediation of FLA. FLA also revealed indirect significant paths to online L2WTC through FLB and L2 demotivation. The implications for L2 teachers and teacher educators will be further discussed.

Research on first language (L1) attrition typically focuses on immigrant populations in their second language (L2) environment, yet we know comparably little about L1 attrition in the L1 setting. This study used two lexical tasks to test L1 attrition, a time-sensitive word decision task and a video retelling. Chinese teachers of English vs. Chinese teachers of other subjects (N = 25/group) were recruited at a secondary school in China. The aim was to provide an exploratory basis of the L2 influence on L1 lexical attrition in the L1 environment, both on the level of lexical comprehension and production. Mixed-effects models were used to analyse multiple measures including response accuracy and reaction times in comprehension, and lexical diversity, density, sophistication, and accuracy in production. The results showed Chinese teachers' L1 lexical attrition in the form of longer response times to high-frequency Chinese words compared to non-English Chinese teachers, and the use of significantly fewer sophisticated words in their retellings. Also, teachers of English were faster and more accurate in decisions about Chinese borrowings from English, suggesting L2-driven influence on their mental lexicon. Considering participants' background information, analyses showed that increased L2 exposure and frequency of use can predict L1 lexical attrition.

In order to better understand the role of syntactic similarity in a code-switched sentence, the current study explored the effect of similar and different syntactic structures on Chinese-English bilinguals' intra-sentential switching costs. L2 proficiency and switching directions as factors that potentially intervene in bilingual performance were together explored to see if there was any interaction. We manipulated the degree of syntactic similarity by utilizing clauses in active voice (greater similarity) and passive voice (lesser similarity). The study conducted a self-paced reading paradigm as a more natural language reading processing. Results showed overall longer reading times for active sentences than passive counterparts, which supported a syntactic similarity impediment rather than facilitation. The impediment seemed to be predominant irrespective of L2 proficiency. Furthermore, syntactic similarity modulated the asymmetry of switching costs between forward (L1-L2) and backward (L2-L1) direction: word RTs for the 1st and the 2nd switched word yielded greater costs in L2-L1 condition, while greater costs in L1-L2 condition was observed in 3rd switched word RTs and average RTs. The present study observed syntactic similarity impediment rather than facilitation for Chinese-English bilinguals. Notably, syntactic similarity plays a predominant role compared to L2 proficiency, and modulates the asymmetry between switching directions.