The role of structural preferences and animacy cues on dative sentence parsing in L2

Abstract

Real-time sentence comprehension can pose a challenge for second-language (L2) speakers due to limited exposure to certain syntactic structures. While English allows dative alternation between double object (DO) and prepositional object (PO) constructions, Spanish only allows PO, which can render DOs more difficult to process than POs for Spanish–English bilinguals. However, semantic cues can also play a role: POs often feature inanimate themes, whereas DOs typically involve animate recipients following the verb. In a self-paced reading study, we examined the interplay of structural preferences and animacy in L2 dative sentence comprehension and how proficiency modulates these factors. Both first language (L1) and L2 participants exhibited longer reading times for DOs than POs, with a larger effect in L2 comprehenders. Notably, DOs with recipients plausibly acting as themes (e.g. ‘dog’) were read faster than DOs with nouns that could only act as recipients (e.g. ‘chef’), suggesting a temporary PO interpretation. Moreover, reliance on PO parsing strategies was stronger in less proficient than in more proficient L2 comprehenders. Together, our results align with experience-based models of L2 sentence processing.