Mohammad Nabi Karimi; Eskandar Samadi; Esmat Babaii
Abstract
The present study explored the effect of semantic priming in the resolution of ambiguous sentences containing Relative Clauses (RCs) preceded by a complex Noun Phrase (NP) by L1-Persian learners of L2 English. The type of semantic relationship examined was the one between the RC and one of the NPs in ...
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The present study explored the effect of semantic priming in the resolution of ambiguous sentences containing Relative Clauses (RCs) preceded by a complex Noun Phrase (NP) by L1-Persian learners of L2 English. The type of semantic relationship examined was the one between the RC and one of the NPs in the complex NP to find out whether semantic manipulation through priming one of the NPs to the RC can affect L2 learners’ attachment preference. The participants were 60 L1-Persian learners of L2 English with different proficiency levels. In a self-paced Paraphrase Decision Task using E-prime software, their reading times and attachment preferences while reading ambiguous sentences were examined. The low-proficiency participants’ off-line (RC attachment preferences) and on-line data (reading times) were compared with off-line and on-line data obtained from high-proficiency participants. The results revealed that in both groups, semantic priming affected participants’ attachment preferences. These findings are consistent with Constraint-based Models of sentence processing, which assume that several sources of information, including semantics, are used in sentence processing. The results also support predictions of the Spreading Activation Model. There were also significant differences between the two groups, low-proficiency participants fully transferred their L1 (Persian) processing strategies to their L2 (English). However, high-proficiency participants processed sentences similarly to native English speakers even though there were still traces of their L1 parsing preferences which is consistent with Shallow Structure Hypothesis.
Mohammad Nabi Karimi; Parastoo Alizadeh Oghyanous
Abstract
Collocations play a crucial role in the efficiency of speaking in a second or foreign language. However, learning non-congruent collocations has always presented itself as a difficulty to foreign language learners. Against this background, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of two types ...
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Collocations play a crucial role in the efficiency of speaking in a second or foreign language. However, learning non-congruent collocations has always presented itself as a difficulty to foreign language learners. Against this background, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of two types of dynamic assessment – cumulative dynamic assessment and concurrent group dynamic assessment – on learning non-congruent English collocations by L1-Persian learners of L2 English. The participants were given the Preliminary English Test (PET) based on the results of which 73 homogeneous learners were selected who were then assigned to two experimental conditions. Prior to the experiments, the participants in both groups were given a non-congruent collocations test designed by the researchers. Afterwards, learners in one of the groups received cumulative group dynamic assessment for the targeted collocations while participants in the second group received concurrent group dynamic assessment. At the end of the treatment, both groups were given a collocations post-test. The results of the statistical analyses indicated that both cumulative and concurrent group dynamic assessment were effective in learning non-congruent collocations. However, there was not any statistically significant difference between the effects of the two types of assessment on learning non-congruent collocations by the EFL learners.
Mohammad Nabi Karimi; Reza Naghdivand
Abstract
Working memory capacity, especially as it relates to L1 vs. L2, has been found to play a significant role in language comprehension and processing. Majority of the related studies have, however, been focused around reading comprehension, either in L1 or L2 contexts. The present study is a further attempt ...
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Working memory capacity, especially as it relates to L1 vs. L2, has been found to play a significant role in language comprehension and processing. Majority of the related studies have, however, been focused around reading comprehension, either in L1 or L2 contexts. The present study is a further attempt to investigate the role of working memory capacity in language comprehension/processing but in the context of L2 listening. To this end, a sample of 220 foreign language learners (both males and females) were recruited. To collect the required data, a series of measures including a language proficiency test, two auditory working memory capacity tasks (English & Persian) and two listening comprehension passages were administered to the participants. The results showed a significant relationship between Persian and English auditory memories for storage dimension but not for the processing component. Additionally, the findings showed that L2 auditory memory is more highly correlated with L2 listening comprehension compared with L1 auditory memory. A further finding of the study was that literal vs. inferential types of listening comprehension engage different types of working memory processes.
