Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Danielle Fahey
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Abstract / Artist's Statement
This research investigates people who are proficient in two languages (bilinguals) and the speeds at which they process cognates (words with comparable meaning and pronunciation across languages). Previous research has not examined the effects of cognate grammar on processing speeds. We compared processing speeds of cognates with and without grammar differences in 25 Spanish-English bilingual participants. We found that grammar differences do not impact processing speeds when words are isolated, but that grammar differences facilitate processing speeds when words are placed in sentences. These findings suggest that meaning and form should be prioritized above grammar instruction in second-language education.
Category
Social Sciences
How Grammatical Differences impact Bilingual Cognate Processing Speeds
UC South Ballroom
This research investigates people who are proficient in two languages (bilinguals) and the speeds at which they process cognates (words with comparable meaning and pronunciation across languages). Previous research has not examined the effects of cognate grammar on processing speeds. We compared processing speeds of cognates with and without grammar differences in 25 Spanish-English bilingual participants. We found that grammar differences do not impact processing speeds when words are isolated, but that grammar differences facilitate processing speeds when words are placed in sentences. These findings suggest that meaning and form should be prioritized above grammar instruction in second-language education.