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A neurocognitive perspective on retrieval interference in L2 sentence processing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2016

PHILLIP HAMRICK  and
MICHAEL T. ULLMAN
PHILLIP HAMRICK*
Affiliation:
Kent State University
MICHAEL T. ULLMAN
Affiliation:
Georgetown University
*
Address for correspondence: Phillip Hamrick, Language and Cognition Research Laboratory, Department of English, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242[email protected]
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Extract

Cunnings (Cunnings) offers an interpretation of L2-L1 sentence processing differences in terms of memory principles. We applaud such cross-domain approaches, which seem likely to significantly elucidate the neurocognition of language. Cunnings attributes sentence processing differences between (adult) high proficiency L2 and L1 speakers to an increased susceptibility to similarity-based retrieval interference, rather than to qualitative L2-L1 processing differences (cf. Clahsen & Felser, 2006). On his account, both L1 and L2 sentence processing depend upon a ‘bipartite’ working memory, which involves maintaining items active by focusing attention on long-term memory representations (Cowan, 2001).

Type
Peer Commentaries
Information
Bilingualism: Language and Cognition , Volume 20 , Issue 4 , August 2017 , pp. 687 - 688
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

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References

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