Relations Between L2 Proficiency and L1 Lexical Property Evaluations

Abstract

The present study investigates the relations between L2-English proficiency and L1-Turkish lexical property evaluations. We asked whether L2 proficiency affects lexical properties, including imageability and concreteness ratings of 600 Turkish words selected from the Word Frequency Dictionary of Written Turkish. Seventy-two participants (L1-Turkish - L2-English) provided ratings of concreteness and imageability for 600 words on a 7-point scale. In order to assess their L2 proficiency, we administered Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-IV (PPVT-IV). We divided categories into two subcategories as high and low for the frequency, concreteness, imageability, and age of acquisition (AoA). The relationship between these subcategories and imageability-concreteness was examined by mixed effects linear regression analyses. We found that L2 proficiency and imageability ratings were positively correlated and specifically, this positive association was evident for low-frequency words and later acquired words. Results are in line with the interaction of bilingual representation under the dual-coding theory which suggests that bilinguals develop an interconnected imaginal representation for two languages as opposed to separate verbal representations. As L2 proficiency increased, the imageability also increased. These findings have implications for literature investigating the relationship between L2 proficiency and linguistic outcomes. Additionally, findings point to the importance of considering the L2 proficiency of participants when lexical tasks that involve cue words or word lists are used.

Bilinguals on the footbridge: the role of foreign-language proficiency in moral decision making

“…L2p can influence the vividness of mental imagery while reading moral dilemmas. In this sense, L2p correlates positively with imagery skills (Altın et al, 2022 ) and with vividness of motor imaging simulations (Hayakawa & Keysar, 2018 ) during L2 processing. Indeed, the greater the L2p, the stronger the coupling of motor brain networks during L2 text reading, suggesting more consolidated embodied simulations that resemble L1 processing (Birba et al, 2020 ).…”

“…L2p may impact the MFLE by modulating these processes. Indeed, during L2 tasks, low L2p reduces the vividness and sensorimotor reactivations of mental scenes (Altın et al, 2022 ; Birba et al, 2020 ), hampers inhibitory reactions (Hui et al, 2020 ; Thanissery et al, 2020 ), lessens prosocial and empathic tendencies (Dewaele & Wei, 2012 ; Ferré et al, 2022 ) and limits numerical processing capacities (Garcia et al, 2021 ; Van Rinsveld et al, 2016 ). Accordingly, L2p could partly account for the heterogeneous results around the MFLE.…”

Gesture use in L1-Turkish and L2-English: Evidence from emotional narrative retellings

“…Contrary to what we have found when overall gesture use during the entire retelling was analysed, our results demonstrated a different pattern for gestures that are specifically used along with emotional speech: participants used more representational gestures that co-occurred with emotional content in L1 than in L2. One explanation might be the relatively weaker links between lexical items and abstract concepts and reduced conceptual links in L2 than in L1 (Altın et al, 2022; de Groot, 1992; Kroll & Stewart, 1994; Pavlenko, 2009; Potter et al, 1984; van Hell & de Groot, 1998). Therefore, since emotional concepts are more strongly consolidated in L1, our participants might have used more representational gestures concurrent with emotional content to express emotions in L1 than in L2 during their speech.…”

“…One explanation for the facilitative effects of gesturing on perceived emotional salience might stem from weaker links between lexical items and concepts in L2 lexicon (de Groot, 1992), particularly for abstract words (Kroll & Stewart, 1994; van Hell & de Groot, 1998). Studies in the field of bilingual lexicon demonstrated that abstract lexical items share fewer semantic links across L1 and L2 and reduced conceptual links between the lexical item and the concept in L2 than in L1 (Altın et al, 2022; Pavlenko, 2009; Potter et al, 1984). These reduced semantic links observed in L2 compared to L1, particularly for abstract concepts, might be the reason behind facilitative effects of gesturing on perceived emotional intensity in L2.…”