Recent research in the area of Second Language Acquisition has proposed that bilinguals and L2 learners show syntactic indeterminacy when syntactic properties interface with other cognitive domains. Most of the research in this area has focused on the pragmatic use of syntactic properties while the investigation of compliance with a grammatical rule at syntax-related interfaces has not received...

It is unclear what roles native language (L1) and second language (L2) play in the perception of lexical tones in a third language (L3). In tone perception, listeners with different language backgrounds use different fundamental frequency (F0). While English listeners use F0 height, Mandarin listeners rely more on F0 direction. The present study addresses whether knowledge of Mandarin, particul...

This study examined contributions of lexical factors to native-speaking raters’ assessments of comprehensibility (ease of understanding) of second language (L2) speech. Extemporaneous oral narratives elicited from 40 French speakers of L2 English were transcribed and evaluated for comprehensibility by 10 raters. Subsequently, the samples were analyzed for 12 lexical variables targeting diverse ...

In the field of second language (L2) research, there is a growing recognition vital need to explore diversity emotional experiences learning. This paper explores problem foreign classroom shame (FLCS) in Japanese classes among university students China. study investigated China students’ perspectives on L2 learning Japanese. Studies have shown that not only affects learners' linguistic confiden...

Childhood experience with a language seems to help adult learners speak it with a more native-like accent. Can analogous benefits be found beyond phonology? This study focused on adult learners of Spanish who had spoken Spanish as their native language before age 7 and only minimally, if at all, thereafter until they began to re-learn Spanish around age 14 years. They were compared with native ...

Advances in speech recognition (ASR) technology have resulted in computer applications that provide compelling forms of speaking practice to learners of a second language (L2). Evaluation of such applications typically does not include an analysis of how learners’ situated motivational states fluctuate during language practice. In connection with recent developments in L2 motivation theory, thi...

We examined the roles of metacognitive awareness of reading strategies, syntactic awareness in English, and English vocabulary knowledge in the English reading comprehension of Chinese-speaking university students (n = 278). Results suggested a two-factor model of a General Reading Knowledge factor (metacognitive awareness employed during the English reading process) and a Second Language (L2) ...

This article explores one aspect of the processing perspective in L2 learning in an EST context: the processing of new content words, in English, of the type ‘cognates’ and ‘false friends’, by Spanish speaking engineering students. The paper does not try to offer a comprehensive overview of language acquisition mechanisms, but rather it is intended to review more narrowly how our conceptual sys...

Second language (L2) learners are very keen to master speaking in their L2, and this is among the most important of all skills. However, anxiety a major obstacle successful L2 learning. This study was designed investigate university-level students’ attitudes towards English experience anxiety. 81 participants who majored with an average age 21.8 years were recruited. The researcher co...