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The effects of cross-linguistic similarity on phrase-level language switching: evidence from high-proficient Chinese–English bilinguals

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Abstract

Previous research on language switching has debated whether high-proficient bilinguals exhibit symmetrical costs and one underlying reason for which may be the potential influence of cross-linguistic characteristics. The previous conflicting findings suggest their impact on language switching needs to be further investigated. In this study, we recruited 36 high-proficient Chinese–English bilinguals and investigated the effect of cross-linguistic similarity on the switching of quantifier expressions under three switch conditions. The results showed that switch costs were significantly greater when the quantifier expression was similar between Chinese and English than when it was different. Larger switch costs were found in the alternate switch condition than those in the non-switch or random switch conditions. In addition, participants exhibited larger switch costs when switching to the first language than when switching to the second language. The results suggest that the similarity of quantifier expressions between the first language and the second language would create more competition and thus induce larger switch costs in phrase-level language switching, which may be derived from the inner word recognition system of the mental lexicon. This study further improves the relevant theories on the origin of switch costs by supporting the Language Non-Specific Selection Hypothesis.

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Funding

This study was funded by General Project of Social Science Planning in Shanghai (2017BYY002).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Foreign Languages, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China

    Xin Chang & Peijuan Wang

  2. School of Foreign Languages, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200400, China

    Xue-yi Huang & Xin-zhe Zou

  3. Faculty of Education Science, East China Normal University, 3663, Zhangshan Road, Putuo District, Shanghai, 200062, China

    Pei Wang

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  1. Xin Chang
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  2. Xue-yi Huang
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  3. Xin-zhe Zou
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  4. Peijuan Wang
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  5. Pei Wang
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Correspondence to Pei Wang.

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Editor: Gladys Nyarko Ansah (University of Ghana), Aine Ito (National University of Singapore); Reviewers: Fusheini Angulu Hudu (University of Ghana), Evershed Amuzu (University of Ghana).

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Chang, X., Huang, Xy., Zou, Xz. et al. The effects of cross-linguistic similarity on phrase-level language switching: evidence from high-proficient Chinese–English bilinguals. Cogn Process 24, 415–424 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10339-023-01137-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10339-023-01137-1

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