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The role of phonology in non-native word learning: Evidence from cross-situational statistical learning.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

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The role of phonology in non-native word learning: Evidence from cross-situational statistical learning. / Ge, Yuxin; Monaghan, Padraic; Rebuschat, Patrick.
In: Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, Vol. 28, No. 1, 01.01.2025, p. 15-30.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Harvard

Ge, Y, Monaghan, P & Rebuschat, P 2025, 'The role of phonology in non-native word learning: Evidence from cross-situational statistical learning.', Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 15-30. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1366728923000986

APA

Ge, Y., Monaghan, P., & Rebuschat, P. (2025). The role of phonology in non-native word learning: Evidence from cross-situational statistical learning. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 28(1), 15-30. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1366728923000986

Vancouver

Ge Y, Monaghan P, Rebuschat P. The role of phonology in non-native word learning: Evidence from cross-situational statistical learning. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition. 2025 Jan 1;28(1):15-30. Epub 2024 Mar 25. doi: 10.1017/S1366728923000986

Author

Ge, Yuxin ; Monaghan, Padraic ; Rebuschat, Patrick. / The role of phonology in non-native word learning : Evidence from cross-situational statistical learning. In: Bilingualism: Language and Cognition. 2025 ; Vol. 28, No. 1. pp. 15-30.

Bibtex

@article{8990e6bf71b840ea916258e641b20668,
title = "The role of phonology in non-native word learning: Evidence from cross-situational statistical learning.",
abstract = "Adults often encounter difficulty perceiving and processing sounds of a second language (L2). In order to acquire word-meaning mappings, learners need to determine what the language-relevant phonological contrasts are in the language. In this study, we examined the influence of phonology on non-native word learning, determining whether the language-relevant phonological contrasts could be acquired by abstracting over multiple experiences, and whether awareness of these contrasts could be related to learning. We trained English- and Mandarin-native speakers with pseudowords via a cross-situational statistical learning task (CSL). Learners were able to acquire the phonological contrasts across multiple situations, but similar-sounding words (i.e., minimal pairs) were harder to acquire, and words that contrast in a non-native suprasegmental feature (i.e., Mandarin lexical tone) were even harder for English-speakers, even with extended exposure. Furthermore, awareness of the non-native phonology was not found to relate to learning.",
author = "Yuxin Ge and Padraic Monaghan and Patrick Rebuschat",
year = "2025",
month = jan,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1017/S1366728923000986",
language = "English",
volume = "28",
pages = "15--30",
journal = "Bilingualism: Language and Cognition",
issn = "1366-7289",
publisher = "Cambridge University Press",
number = "1",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - The role of phonology in non-native word learning

T2 - Evidence from cross-situational statistical learning.

AU - Ge, Yuxin

AU - Monaghan, Padraic

AU - Rebuschat, Patrick

PY - 2025/1/1

Y1 - 2025/1/1

N2 - Adults often encounter difficulty perceiving and processing sounds of a second language (L2). In order to acquire word-meaning mappings, learners need to determine what the language-relevant phonological contrasts are in the language. In this study, we examined the influence of phonology on non-native word learning, determining whether the language-relevant phonological contrasts could be acquired by abstracting over multiple experiences, and whether awareness of these contrasts could be related to learning. We trained English- and Mandarin-native speakers with pseudowords via a cross-situational statistical learning task (CSL). Learners were able to acquire the phonological contrasts across multiple situations, but similar-sounding words (i.e., minimal pairs) were harder to acquire, and words that contrast in a non-native suprasegmental feature (i.e., Mandarin lexical tone) were even harder for English-speakers, even with extended exposure. Furthermore, awareness of the non-native phonology was not found to relate to learning.

AB - Adults often encounter difficulty perceiving and processing sounds of a second language (L2). In order to acquire word-meaning mappings, learners need to determine what the language-relevant phonological contrasts are in the language. In this study, we examined the influence of phonology on non-native word learning, determining whether the language-relevant phonological contrasts could be acquired by abstracting over multiple experiences, and whether awareness of these contrasts could be related to learning. We trained English- and Mandarin-native speakers with pseudowords via a cross-situational statistical learning task (CSL). Learners were able to acquire the phonological contrasts across multiple situations, but similar-sounding words (i.e., minimal pairs) were harder to acquire, and words that contrast in a non-native suprasegmental feature (i.e., Mandarin lexical tone) were even harder for English-speakers, even with extended exposure. Furthermore, awareness of the non-native phonology was not found to relate to learning.

U2 - 10.1017/S1366728923000986

DO - 10.1017/S1366728923000986

M3 - Journal article

VL - 28

SP - 15

EP - 30

JO - Bilingualism: Language and Cognition

JF - Bilingualism: Language and Cognition

SN - 1366-7289

IS - 1

ER -