BOOK OF ABSTRACTS - EUROSLA

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Collocational processing in an L2: The role of L1 knowledge and
frequency of input
Brent Wolter 1 and Henrik Gyllstad 2
1 2
Idaho State University, Lund University
In the L1 mental lexicon, lexical items of different types and sizes are
believed to be linked to each other in a systematic and efficient lexical
network. In usage-based models of language acquisition, in terms of network
growth, an essential factor is assumed to be frequency of input (Ellis 2002).
However, when acquiring an L2, input may not always lead to acquisition,
and the already existing L1 network is expected to have an influence on
acquisition and processing (Ellis 2006; Wolter 2006; Wolter & Gyllstad, in
press). In this study, we investigated the role that L2 frequency of input may
play for the processing of collocations, and also in what way structures in the
L1 may interfere with this processing. Based on frequencies in COCA (the
Corpus of Contemporary American English), we compiled a list of L1congruent
and L1-non-congruent English adjective + noun items, and
subjected Swedish L1 learners of English to a timed acceptability judgment
task. Results indicated that although the learners’ reaction time to noncongruent
items was significantly slower than for congruent items,
collocation frequency was significantly linked to processing speed for both
item types. The implications of these results will be discussed.
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