Abstract
Aims and Objectives:
Adopting an individual differences approach to second language (L2) processing, the present study examines the roles of internal (L2 proficiency, age of L2 onset) and external (length of L2 immersion) factors in two types of L2 processing—specifically, retrieval and prediction.
Methodology:
This study focuses on honorifics in Korean, where the use of the honorific verbal suffix is conditioned upon whether the subject refers to an honorable person. Forty-four L1-Cantonese/Mandarin Chinese L2-Korean speakers, whose L1s lack honorifics, alongside 46 L1-Korean speakers, completed a language background questionnaire, a fill-in-the-blank form-retrieval task, and a visual-world eye-tracking prediction task.
Data and Analysis:
A logistic/linear mixed-effects regression model was constructed on the target acceptance/reaction times obtained from the fill-in-the-blank task, and a growth curve analysis model was built on the target advantage scores obtained from the eye-tracking task.
Findings:
The results revealed L1-L2 group differences in all analyses. However, L2 proficiency and age of L2 onset significantly predicted target acceptance and reaction times in the fill-in-the-blank task. Furthermore, length of immersion, as well as L2 proficiency and age of L2 onset, significantly predicted target advantage scores in the eye-tracking task.
Originality:
This research is the first to investigate individual differences in both retrieval and prediction processes, using the measures of target acceptance, reaction times, and eye fixations.
Significance:
Theoretically, the findings demonstrate the importance of both internal and external factors in L2 processing, showing that different factors are involved in distinct processing types. Methodologically, the use of webcam-based eye-tracking contributes to a more equitable research culture due to its accessibility.
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