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Article In: Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism: Online-First Articles

Building L2 phonology with contrast and alternation

Neurobehavioral evidence from Mandarin learners of Russian

ORCiD logo with link | McGill University
ORCiD logo with link | McGill University
ORCiD logo with link | Nanjing Normal University
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Abstract
This study investigates how alternations influence the acquisition of L2 phonological features, focusing on Mandarin speakers’ acquisition of voicing in Russian stops. Mandarin captures this contrast using [spread glottis], whereas Russian employs [voice]. Naive learners were divided into two training groups: the Root Condition (RC) group learned monomorphemic words; the Alternation+Root Condition (AC) group additionally learned forms with voicing assimilation. Across four days of training, both groups showed behavioral improvement in word identification and ABX discrimination. Neurophysiologically, both groups established representations for the learned contrast, but their Mismatch Negativity (MMN) patterns diverged: the RC group showed near-symmetric responses across /t/-standard and /d/-standard trials in an oddball paradigm, whereas the AC group had larger MMNs for /t/-standard than /d/-standard trials. These results show that exposure to phonological alternations can enhance perceptual discrimination and facilitate phonological learning. The implications are discussed from the perspective of feature theory and feature redeployment.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1Segment-based models vs. feature-based models in second language learning
    • 1.2MMN as a neurobiological marker of speech sound representation
    • 1.3The present study
  • 2.Methods
    • 2.1Participants
    • 2.2Stimuli
    • 2.3Procedure
    • 2.4Data analysis
      • 2.4.1EEG data
      • 2.4.2Statistical analysis
  • 3.Results
    • 3.1Behavioral results
    • 3.2MMN results
  • 4.General discussion and conclusion
  • Data availability
  • CRediT author contributions
  • Acknowledgments
  • Notes
  • References
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