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2. Sentence comprehension test for Russian : a tool to assess syntactic competenceDaria Chernova, Artem Novozhilov, Natalia Slioussar, 2023, review article Abstract: Although all healthy adults have advanced syntactic processing abilities in their native language, psycholinguistic studies report extensive variation among them. However, very few tests were developed to assess this variation, presumably, because when adult native speakers focus on syntactic processing, not being distracted by other tasks, they usually reach ceiling performance. We developed a Sentence Comprehension Test for the Russian language aimed to fill this gap. The test captures variation among participants and does not show ceiling effects. The Sentence Comprehension Test includes 60 unambiguous grammatically complex sentences and 40 control sentences that are of the same length, but are syntactically simpler. Every sentence is accompanied by a comprehension question targeting potential syntactic processing problems and interpretation errors associated with them. Grammatically complex sentences were selected on the basis of the previous literature and then tested in a pilot study. As a result, six constructions that trigger the largest number of errors were identified. For these constructions, we also analyzed which ones are associated with the longest word-by-word reading times, question answering times and the highest error rates. These differences point to different sources of syntactic processing difficulties and can be relied upon in subsequent studies. We conducted two experiments to validate the final version of the test. Getting similar results in two independent experiments, as well as in two presentation modes (reading and listening modes are compared in Experiment 2) confirms its reliability. In Experiment 1, we also showed that the results of the test correlate with the scores in the verbal working memory span test.
Keywords: syntax, comprehension, Russian language, psycholinguistics
Published in RUNG: 05.04.2024; Views: 269; Downloads: 3
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3. Speakers' errors in the use of the 'count form' in Bulgarian numeral phrases : possible sources of the distance effectPenka Stateva, Julie Franck, Arthur Stepanov, 2023, original scientific article Abstract: In Bulgarian, numerals such as pet ('five') assign a special 'count form' feature to the noun: this assignment takes place across any number of intervening modifier phrases, thus forming a long-distance syntactic dependency. In colloquial speech, speakers often erroneously substitute the count form for regular plurals. Previous corpus and psycholinguistic research established that the ratio of such errors correlates with the distance between numeral and the noun in terms of the number of intervening items. In this note we briefly review this line of inquiry and outline two possible explanations for the distance effect: (i) the cost of maintaining and/or retrieving the numeral in the working memory, and (ii) cumulative activation of the plural markings on the intervening adjectivals.
Keywords: numeral, syntactic dependency, language processing, working memory, activation, Bulgarian
Published in RUNG: 12.02.2024; Views: 452; Downloads: 3
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4. Scalar diversity and second-language processing: the Pragmatic Transfer HypothesisFederica Longo, Bob Van Tiel, Penka Stateva, Greta Mazzaggio, published scientific conference contribution abstract Abstract: This study investigates the impact of language proficiency on the computation of scalar
implicatures (e.g., ”some” implying ”not all”) and compares the Pragmatic Default Hypoth-
esis and the Pragmatic Transfer Hypothesis. Six scalar terms were studied among native
English speakers, native Slovenian speakers, and Slovenian second-language (L2) learners
of English. The findings mostly support the Pragmatic Transfer Hypothesis, as the rate
of scalar implicatures in the English-L2 group generally aligned with rates in their native
language, Slovenian. This suggests that scalar implicature judgments in one’s L2 reflect
pragmatic patterns in one’s first language.
Keywords: Second Language processing, Scalar implicatures, Scalar diversity
Published in RUNG: 03.10.2023; Views: 612; Downloads: 3
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5. Collaborative lessons in a cross-border space : learning each other's language, literature and history on the basis of the CoBLaLT modelIvana Zajc, 2023, published scientific conference contribution Abstract: In the paper we propose a new paradigm for teaching literature, language and history in cross-border territories from the point of view of cross-border didactics and cross-curricular collaboration at the higher elementary school level. Based on the CoBLaLT model, we propose interdisciplinar activities for students of two cross-border classes on both sides of the Slovenian-Italian border, who, while studying picture books written in Slovenian, meet via online platforms and live. They get to know each other, learn the languages of other students, experience literature and the art of illustration, and above all experience the complex history of the area where they live.
Keywords: foreign language, CoBlaLT model, border spaces, teaching, literature
Published in RUNG: 02.10.2023; Views: 716; Downloads: 3
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