Acceso usuarios
Jing Tong
, Iring Koch, Andrea M. Philipp
Objectives: Previous studies showed prediction effects in language processing within a language. Yet only a few studies have specifically investigated prediction effects across languages. In this study, we examined if prediction influences subsequent within- and cross-language production. Methodology: After hearing a classifier (e.g., “a cup of”), participants were asked to name a picture with a color frame indicating which language to use. The picture names could be semantically congruent or incongruent to the classifier (e.g., tea vs brick). Classifier language and response language could be the same or different within each trial for Chinese-English bilinguals. While both classifier language and response language varied in Experiment 1 ( n = 40), classifier language was kept constant within blocks (but was manipulated across blocks) in Experiment 2 ( n = 40). Data and analysis: We analyzed reaction times and accuracy by constructing linear mixed-effect models. Findings: In both experiments, better performance was observed in semantically congruent conditions (“a cup of tea”) than in semantically incongruent conditions (“a cup of bricks”), showing a semantic classifier congruency effect. Yet, this effect was found only when classifier and response language was the same but it was absent or even reversed when they were different. Our results showed that prediction only facilitated subsequent within-language but not cross-language production. Originality: This is the first study to test the influence of prediction on within-language and cross-language production. Significance: Our study contributes to the evidence about the prediction effects on language processing. In addition, we addressed the gap in understanding the role of prediction in language production. Our results indicate that prediction impacts within-language and cross-language production in different ways, facilitating within-language production while hindering cross-language production.
