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WORD ASSOCIATION IN L1 AND L2

An Exploratory Study of Response Types, Response Times, and Interlingual Mediation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 July 2011

Tess Fitzpatrick  and
Cristina Izura
Tess Fitzpatrick*
Affiliation:
Swansea University
Cristina Izura
Affiliation:
Swansea University
*
*Address correspondence to: Tess Fitzpatrick, College of Arts and Humanities, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK; e-mail: [email protected].
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Abstract

Word association responses in first-language (L1) Spanish and second-language (L2) English were investigated by means of response latencies and types of associative response produced. The primary aims were to establish whether (a) some response types are produced more often or faster than others, (b) participants’ L2 response time profiles mirror those of their L1, and (c) participants’ L2 association responses are mediated by their L1 and modulated by proficiency. Results indicate that responses are faster when a double association link is produced—that is, when the response is associated by form and meaning (postman → postbox) or meaning and collocation (spider → web). L2 response time profiles broadly mirror those of the L1, although L2 times are generally slower. A significant priming effect from L1 translation equivalents of cues used in the L2 association task was observed, suggesting L1 mediation in the production of L2 associative responses. Findings are discussed in light of the revised hierarchical model (Kroll & Stewart, 1994). New approaches to modeling and understanding the bilingual lexicon are also suggested.

Type
Research Articles
Information
Studies in Second Language Acquisition , Volume 33 , Issue 3 , September 2011 , pp. 373 - 398
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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