1887
Volume 4, Issue 1
  • ISSN 2542-3835
  • E-ISSN: 2542-3843
USD
Buy:$35.00 + Taxes

Abstract

Abstract

The present study examined L1 influence in visual L2 word recognition in the area of letter case. Whether an English word is displayed in upper- or lower-case letters may be of little significance to English native speakers, but many ESL speakers from east Asia have found it more difficult to recognize words printed in upper-case letters. Two experiments were conducted to explore two questions: (a) whether there was indeed a case effect in L2 word recognition in that ESL speakers took longer in responding to upper-case words, and (b) whether this case effect only occurred for ESL speakers whose first languages employed a script other than the Roman alphabet. The participants included English native speakers, ESL speakers whose L1s employed the Roman alphabet (the Romance ESL group) and ESL speakers whose L1s did not. They were asked to perform a lexical decision task on English words displayed in either upper- or lower-case letters. In both experiments, a reliable case effect was found for the latter ESL group only. This L1-related case effect raised both theoretical and pedagogical issues to be explored in future research.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/jsls.19039.jia
2021-04-16
2025-02-17
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Allen, P. A. , Wallace, B. , & Weber, T. A.
    (1995) Influence of case type, word frequency, and exposure duration on visual word recognition. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception & Performance, 21, 914–934.
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Burt, J. S. , & Hutchinson, B. J.
    (2000) Case-mixing effects on spelling recognition: The importance of test format. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, 29, 433–451. 10.1023/A:1005159329417
    https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005159329417 [Google Scholar]
  3. Coltheart, M. , & Freeman, R.
    (1974) Case alternation impairs word identification. Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 3, 102–104. 10.3758/BF03333407
    https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03333407 [Google Scholar]
  4. Compton, D. L. and Carlisle, J. F.
    (1994) Speed of word recognition as a distinguishing characteristic of reading disabilities. Educational Psychology Review, 6, 115–140. 10.1007/BF02208970
    https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02208970 [Google Scholar]
  5. Forster, J. C. , & Forster, K. I.
    (2003) DMDX: a Windows display program with millisecond accuracy. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers, 35, 116–124. 10.3758/BF03195503
    https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03195503 [Google Scholar]
  6. Hamada, M., & Koda, K.
    (2008) Influence of first language orthographic experience on second language decoding and word learning. Language learning, 58(1), 1–31. 10.1111/j.1467‑9922.2007.00433.x
    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9922.2007.00433.x [Google Scholar]
  7. Healy, A. F. , & Cunningham, T. F.
    (1992) A developmental evaluation of the role of word shape in word recognition. Memory & Cognition, 20, 141–150. 10.3758/BF03197163
    https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03197163 [Google Scholar]
  8. Healy, A. F. , Oliver, W. L. , & McNamara, T. P.
    (1987) Detecting letters in continuous text: Effects of display size. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception & Performance, 13, 279–290.
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Heyer, V. , & Clahsen, H.
    (2015) Late bilinguals see a scan in scanner AND in scandal: Dissecting formal overlap from morphological priming in the processing of derived words. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 18(3), 543–550. 10.1017/S1366728914000662
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S1366728914000662 [Google Scholar]
  10. Jiang, N.
    (1999) Testing processing explanations for the asymmetry in masked cross-language priming. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 2(1), 59–75. 10.1017/S1366728999000152
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S1366728999000152 [Google Scholar]
  11. (2018) Second Language Processing: An Introduction. New York: Routledge. 10.4324/9781315886336
    https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315886336 [Google Scholar]
  12. Koda, K.
    (1988) Cognitive process in second language reading: Transfer of L1 reading skills and strategies. Second Language Research, 4, 133–156.
    [Google Scholar]
  13. (1989) Effects of Ll orthographic representation on L2 phonological coding strategies. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, 18, 201–222.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. (1990) The use of Ll reading strategies in 1.2 reading. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 12, 393–410. 10.1017/S0272263100009499
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263100009499 [Google Scholar]
  15. Laine, M. , Vainio, S. , & Hyönä, J.
    (1999) Lexical access routes to nouns in a morphologically rich language. Journal of Memory and Language, 40, 109–135. 10.1006/jmla.1998.2615
    https://doi.org/10.1006/jmla.1998.2615 [Google Scholar]
  16. Lehtonen, M., Niska, H., Wande, E., Niemi, J., & Laine, M.
    (2006) Recognition of inflected words in a morphologically limited language: Frequency effects in monolinguals and bilinguals. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, 35(2), 121–146. 10.1007/s10936‑005‑9008‑1
    https://doi.org/10.1007/s10936-005-9008-1 [Google Scholar]
  17. Levy, B. A. , Abello, B. , & Lysynchuk, L.
    (1997) Transfer from Word Training to Reading in Context: Gains in Reading Fluency and Comprehension. Learning Disability Quarterly, 20 (3), 173–188. 10.2307/1511307
    https://doi.org/10.2307/1511307 [Google Scholar]
  18. Levy, B. A. , Di Persio, R. , Hollingshead, A.
    (1992) Fluent rereading, repetition, automaticity, and discrepancy. Journal of Experimental Psychology. 18(5), 957–971.
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Maryanne Wolf and Tami Katzir-Cohen
    (2001) Reading Fluency and Its Intervention. Scientific Studies of Reading, 5, 211–239. 10.1207/S1532799XSSR0503_2
    https://doi.org/10.1207/S1532799XSSR0503_2 [Google Scholar]
  20. Mayall, K. , & Humphreys, G. W.
    (1996) Case mixing and the task-sensitive disruption of lexical processing. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 22, 278–294.
    [Google Scholar]
  21. Moats, L. C.
    (2001) When older students can’t read. Educational Leadership, 58 (6), 36–39.
    [Google Scholar]
  22. Mori, Y.
    (1998) Effects of First Language and Phonological Accessibility on Kanji Recognition. The Modern Language Journal, 82(1), 69–82. 10.1111/j.1540‑4781.1998.tb02595.x
    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.1998.tb02595.x [Google Scholar]
  23. Muljani, D. , Koda, K. , & Moates, D. R.
    (1998) The Development of Word Recognition in a Second Language. Applied Psycholinguistics, 19(1), 99–113. 10.1017/S0142716400010602
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S0142716400010602 [Google Scholar]
  24. Nassaji, H.
    (2003) Higher-level and lower-level text processingn skills in advanced ESL reading comprehension. Modern Language Journal, 87, 261–276. 10.1111/1540‑4781.00189
    https://doi.org/10.1111/1540-4781.00189 [Google Scholar]
  25. Nassaji, H. , & Geva, E.
    (1999) The Contribution of Phonological and Orthographic Processing Skills to Adult ESL Reading: Evidence From Native Speakers of Farsi. Applied Psycholinguistics, 20(2), 241–267. 10.1017/S0142716499002040
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S0142716499002040 [Google Scholar]
  26. Perea, M. , & Rosa, E.
    (2002) Does “whole-word shape” play a role in visual word recognition?Perception & Psychophysics, 64, 785–794. 10.3758/BF03194745
    https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03194745 [Google Scholar]
  27. Perfetti, C. A.
    (1985) Reading ability. New York: Oxford University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  28. (1999) Comprehending written language: A blueprint of the Reader. In P. Hagoort & C. Brown (Eds.), Neurocognition of language processing (pp.167–208). Oxford University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  29. Perfetti, C. A. , & Hogaboam, T.
    (1975) The relationship between single word decoding and reading comprehension skills. Journal of Educational Psychology, 67, 461–469. 10.1037/h0077013
    https://doi.org/10.1037/h0077013 [Google Scholar]
  30. Portin, M. & Laine, M.
    (2001) Processing cost associated with infl ectional morphology in bilingual speakers. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 4, 55–62. 10.1017/S1366728901000128
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S1366728901000128 [Google Scholar]
  31. Portin, M. , Lehtonen, M. , Harrer, G. , Wande, E. , Niemi, J. , & Laine, M.
    (2008) L1effects on the processing of infl ected nouns in L2. Acta Psychologica, 128, 452–465. 10.1016/j.actpsy.2007.07.003
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2007.07.003 [Google Scholar]
  32. Portin, M. , Lehtonen, M. , & Laine, M.
    (2007) Processing of infl ected nouns in late bilinguals. Applied Psycholinguistics, 28, 135–156. 10.1017/S014271640607007X
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S014271640607007X [Google Scholar]
  33. Rasinski, T. V.
    (2000) Speed does matter in reading. The Reading Teacher, 54, 146–151.
    [Google Scholar]
  34. Silva, R. , & Clahsen, H.
    (2008) Morphologically complex words in L1 and L2 processing: Evidence from masked priming experiments in English. Bilingualism: Language and cognition, 11(2), 245–260. 10.1017/S1366728908003404
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S1366728908003404 [Google Scholar]
  35. Vainio, S. , Pajunen, A. , & Hyönä, J.
    (2014) L1 and L2 word recognition in Finnish. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 36, 133–162. 10.1017/S0272263113000478
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263113000478 [Google Scholar]
  36. Wade-Woolley, L.
    (1999) First language influences on second language word reading: All roads lead to Rome. Language Learning, 49(3), 447–471. 10.1111/0023‑8333.00096
    https://doi.org/10.1111/0023-8333.00096 [Google Scholar]
  37. Wang, M., & Koda, K.
    (2005) Commonalities and differences in word identification skills among learners of English as a second language. Language Learning, 55(1), 71–98. 10.1111/j.0023‑8333.2005.00290.x
    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0023-8333.2005.00290.x [Google Scholar]
  38. Wang, M. , Koda, K. , & Perfetti, C. A.
    (2003) Alphabetic and Nonalphabetic L1 Effects in English Word Identification: A Comparison of Korean and Chinese English L2 Learners. Cognition, 87(2), 129–149. 10.1016/s0010‑0277(02)00232‑9
    https://doi.org/10.1016/s0010-0277(02)00232-9 [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/jsls.19039.jia
Loading
/content/journals/10.1075/jsls.19039.jia
Loading

Data & Media loading...

  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): Arabic; case effect; Chinese; ESL; L1 influence; lexical decision; word recognition
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error