Processing ‘Gender-neutral’ Pronouns: A Self-paced Reading Study of Learners of English

• Autores: Lydia Gabriela Speyer, Erik Shleef
• Localización: Applied linguistics, ISSN 0142-6001, Vol. 40, Nº 5, 2019, págs. 793-815
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • This article explores the online processing of singular he and she and singular they by learners of English to discover whether singular they presents a processing problem for non-native speakers (NNSs). It also examines the extent to which such issues may vary as a function of L2 proficiency at B2, C1, and C2 levels. A self-paced reading study was conducted with 51 students at an Austrian university. Results were compared with a similar study based on data collected from native speakers. We found advanced NNSs matching those of native speakers in almost all respects, and we present some evidence for developmental progression in how he, she, and they are processed. Pronoun-specific details are built up over time, and we suggest their relative strength depends on the robustness of the input. We provide self-reported production data to support this argument. This study paints a very optimistic picture of the acquisition of singular they at B2 and higher proficiency levels, as it can be acquired even under circumstances of later familiarization.