Studies in Second Language Acquisition ( IF 4.730 ) Pub Date : 2022-03-28 , DOI: 10.1017/s0272263122000043 Yuichi Suzuki 1 , Hyeonjeong Jeong 2 , Haining Cui 2 , Kiyo Okamoto 2 , Ryuta Kawashima 2 , Motoaki Sugiura 2
In this study, neural representation of adult second language (L2) speakers’ implicit grammatical knowledge was investigated. Advanced L2 speakers of Japanese living in Japan, as well as L1 Japanese speakers, performed a word-monitoring task (proposed as an implicit knowledge test) in the MRI scanner. Behavioral measures were obtained from aptitude tests for explicit (language analytic ability) and implicit (statistical learning ability) learning. Findings indicate that, although both L1 and L2 speakers recruited neural circuits associated with procedural memory during the word-monitoring task, different brain regions were activated: premotor cortex (L1 speakers) and left caudate (L2 speakers). The premotor cortex activation was weaker in L2 than L1 speakers but was positively correlated with the left caudate activation, suggesting that their grammatical knowledge, while less automatized, was still developing. Behavioral sensitivity to errors was predicted only by explicit language aptitude, which may play a key role in the automatization of grammatical knowledge.
中文翻译:
作为隐性知识测量的单词监控任务的 fMRI 验证研究:探索显性和隐性能力在行为和神经处理中的作用
在这项研究中,研究了成人第二语言 (L2) 说话者的隐性语法知识的神经表征。居住在日本的高级 L2 日语使用者以及 L1 日语使用者在 MRI 扫描仪中执行了单词监控任务(建议作为隐性知识测试)。行为测量是从显性(语言分析能力)和隐性(统计学习能力)学习的能力倾向测试中获得的。研究结果表明,尽管 L1 和 L2 说话者在单词监控任务期间都招募了与程序记忆相关的神经回路,但不同的大脑区域被激活:运动前皮层(L1 说话者)和左尾状核(L2 说话者)。L2 的前运动皮层激活比 L1 说话者弱,但与左侧尾状核激活呈正相关,这表明他们的语法知识虽然自动化程度较低,但仍在发展中。对错误的行为敏感性只能通过明确的语言能力来预测,这可能在语法知识的自动化中发挥关键作用。