Processing reflexives in a second language: The timing of structural and discourse-level constraints
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CLAUDIA FELSER [1] ; IAN CUNNINGS [1]
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[1] University of Essex
University of Essex
Colchester District, Reino Unido
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- Localización: Applied psycholinguistics, ISSN 0142-7164, Vol. 33, Nº 3, 2012, págs. 571-603
- Idioma: inglés
- Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
- Dialnet Métricas: 2 Citas
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Resumen
We report the results from two eye-movement monitoring experiments examining the processing of reflexive pronouns by proficient German-speaking learners of second language (L2) English. Our results show that the nonnative speakers initially tried to link English argument reflexives to a discourse-prominent but structurally inaccessible antecedent, thereby violating binding condition A. Our native speaker controls, in contrast, showed evidence of applying condition A immediately during processing. Together, our findings show that L2 learners’ initial focusing on a structurally inaccessible antecedent cannot be due to first language influence and is also independent of whether the inaccessible antecedent c-commands the reflexive. This suggests that unlike native speakers, nonnative speakers of English initially attempt to interpret reflexives through discourse-based coreference assignment rather than syntactic binding.
