Anna Cieslicka - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Anna Cieslicka
Multilingual Matters eBooks, Dec 31, 2006
Languages, Jan 31, 2023
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Frontiers in Psychology, 2021
The present study is a pilot test designed to verify the Figurative Language Battery that we have... more The present study is a pilot test designed to verify the Figurative Language Battery that we have developed to explore figurative language skills of individuals with aphasia. Material and methods: Eight left brain damaged patients and ten controls were tested using the battery. The battery consists of four parts, each of which focuses on a different figurative trope (idioms, metaphors, proverbs, and similes), and employs either a Multiple Choice task (choosing the correct paraphrase from among literally related and unrelated distractors) or an Oral Completion task (providing the last, missing word of the figurative phrase). Data were collected in individual sessions during which participants were asked to complete the figurative language battery. Results: Overall, patients showed a strong literal bias in comprehending figurative expressions, i.e., they tended to interpret idioms and metaphors in a literal, rather than figurative, manner, consistent with findings reported in the literature. In addition, the obtained results confirm that the type of figurative trope significantly affects performance of individuals with aphasia. Patients performed significantly better on overlearned sequences, such as proverbs or similes, than on idioms and metaphors. Conventional metaphors were easier to understand than unconventional (novel) ones, and opaque, unambiguous idioms were easier than transparent, ambiguous ones. Conclusions: The type of figurative trope, and possibly also the type of task, affect figurative performance of individuals with aphasia. The study carries important implications for designing diagnostic tools aiming to uncover figurative language impairment in aphasia.
Bilingual Figurative Language Processing
Acquiring competence in figurative language is a challenging aspect of the second/foreign (L2) la... more Acquiring competence in figurative language is a challenging aspect of the second/foreign (L2) language learning process. A crucial component of figurative competence is the knowledge of idiomatic expressions. The present chapter focuses on the acquisition and processing of idioms by L2 learners. It first discusses the different dimensions along which idiomatic expressions vary and reviews theoretical accounts of the representation and processing of idioms by native language (L1) and L2 speakers. A parasitic mechanism of L2 idiom acquisition is suggested as the most plausible cognitive strategy in building the L2 figurative competence. Factors affecting L1 idiom processing such as idiom literal plausibility, semantic decomposability, salience, and context are analyzed, and their potential role in L2 idiomatic processing is discussed. In addition, factors uniquely relevant for L2 idiom acquisition and processing, such as cross-language similarity, are identified
The present study is a pilot test designed to verify the Figurative Language Battery that we have... more The present study is a pilot test designed to verify the Figurative Language Battery that we have developed to explore figurative language skills of individuals with aphasia. Material and methods: Eight left brain damaged patients and ten controls were tested using the battery. The battery consists of four parts, each of which focuses on a different figurative trope (idioms, metaphors, proverbs, and similes), and employs either a Multiple Choice task (choosing the correct paraphrase from among literally related and unrelated distractors) or an Oral Completion task (providing the last, missing word of the figurative phrase). Data were collected in individual sessions during which participants were asked to complete the figurative language battery. Results: Overall, patients showed a strong literal bias in comprehending figurative expressions, i.e., they tended to interpret idioms and metaphors in a literal, rather than figurative, manner, consistent with findings reported in the literature. In addition, the obtained results confirm that the type of figurative trope significantly affects performance of individuals with aphasia. Patients performed significantly better on overlearned sequences, such as proverbs or similes, than on idioms and metaphors. Conventional metaphors were easier to understand than unconventional (novel) ones, and opaque, unambiguous idioms were easier than transparent, ambiguous ones. Conclusions: The type of figurative trope, and possibly also the type of task, affect figurative performance of individuals with aphasia. The study carries important implications for designing diagnostic tools aiming to uncover figurative language impairment in aphasia.
As a way to introduce this chapter, consider sentences 1a-b uttered by a Spanish-English bilingua... more As a way to introduce this chapter, consider sentences 1a-b uttered by a Spanish-English bilingual child
This chapter provides a critical review of the cross-modal lexical priming (CMLP) paradigm and it... more This chapter provides a critical review of the cross-modal lexical priming (CMLP) paradigm and its variants as used in the bilingual lexical access literature. We first discuss methodological concerns related to task processing demands and the specific requirements (e.g., ecological validity, online vs. offline) required to appropriately assess bilingual exhaustive activation. We then go on to discuss the functionality and reliability of the CMLP and its implementations in bilingual cross-language priming, bilingual figurative language processing (e.g., idioms and metaphors), and word type effects (e.g., homophones, homographs). We underscore the CMLP’s capability and flexibility to probe for bilingual multiple lexical activation at multiple points throughout the spoken sentence and provide early and late measures of language processing
Springer eBooks, 2016
A number of connectionist models (inspired by biological neural networks) have been designed to s... more A number of connectionist models (inspired by biological neural networks) have been designed to simulate human data in bilingual word reading tasks. These models have in common a reliance on neuron-like nodes that are connected by a distributed pattern of synapse-like connections. When some nodes become active due to linguistic input, this activation pattern spreads throughout the network and eventually activates other nodes that correspond to word recognition states and/or motor responses. Various models differ with one another on certain architectural details. Some models use localist representations, where a single node represents each word, while others use distributed representations, where each word is represented by a pattern of activation across many nodes. Some models focus on how the connection strengths are developed via a learning algorithm, while others focus more on real-time processing dynamics. By fi tting existing human data, and then making explicit predictions for future experiments, these different models steadily advance our understanding of how bilinguals comprehend written words.
The TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching, Jan 15, 2019
Springer eBooks, 2017
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this p... more The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Poznan Studies in Contemporary Linguistics, 2017
The purpose of the experiments reported here is to explore the effects of task (implicit vs. expl... more The purpose of the experiments reported here is to explore the effects of task (implicit vs. explicit) on the activation of literal and figurative meanings of English idiomatic expressions in the course of their processing by Spanish-English bilinguals varying along their dominance in English or Spanish. Two experiments were carried out using a rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) task: an implicit lexical decision task and an explicit meaningfulness judgment task. Stimuli included literally plausible English idioms (e.g. kick the bucket, which has both a figurative meaning-'to die', and a literal interpretation-'to strike a pail with one's foot'). Mixed Linear Model analyses were conducted on the lexical decision and meaningfulness judgment data, with context (literal vs. figurative vs. control) and target type (literal vs. figurative) as within-subject factors, and bilingual dominance (Spanish-dominant vs. English-dominant) as a between-subject factor. Results showed strong salience effects in the implicit task and strong context effects in the explicit task. Specifically, only literal target activation was found for Spanishdominant participants in the implicit, lexical decision task, as opposed to Englishdominant participants, where both literal and figurative meanings were equally strongly activated. In the explicit, meaningfulness judgment task, regardless of language dominance, congruent targets (both literal-congruent and figurative-congruent) were recognized faster than incongruent ones, both by English-and Spanish-dominant participants.
Cambridge University Press eBooks, Jan 2, 2020
This chapter reports on three experiments using the cross-modal lexical priming paradigm to explo... more This chapter reports on three experiments using the cross-modal lexical priming paradigm to explore whether interlingual homographs (i.e., words with competing semantic and overlapping orthographic representations) are activated selectively or nonselectively. The literature is somewhat controversial when it comes to the question of how bilinguals process ambiguous language. While the majority of studies suggest language nonselectivity, some research seems to indicate selective bilingual lexical access depending on the user’s linguistic needs and demands. In Experiment 1, which serves as a baseline, Spanish-English bilinguals listened to sentences in which a critical prime (e.g., trial) was associated with the English meaning of a homograph target (cases). In Experiment 2, participants were presented with homograph-translation primes (e.g., the stimulus married is presented before cases). Experiment 3, aside from the homograph-translation priming from Experiment 2, included a Spanish language mode induction variable presented at the beginning of the experiment. Results point to the effects of proficiency and priming in modulating language coactivation
Springer eBooks, 2016
This chapter discusses cross-language activation in the course of processing language by bilingua... more This chapter discusses cross-language activation in the course of processing language by bilingual speakers. We first discuss the cross-modal lexical priming paradigm (CMLP), a powerful tool to explore online multiple language activation. We next provide an overview of research concerning multiple language activation in the course of bilingual lexical processing. Finally, we present results of four experiments examining the effects of context in connected speech on cross-language priming in Spanish-English bilinguals. Participants in Experiment 1 listened to sentences in Spanish, their first language, and named Spanish and English targets, related or unrelated to a critical prime within the sentence. Experiment 2 was similar to Experiment 1, except that prior context was biased toward the critical prime. Experiments 3–4 were identical to Experiments 1–2, respectively, but with sentences in English, their second language. Comparable cross-language priming was observed for Experiments 1–2. Likewise, Experiments 3–4 showed similar priming patterns. However, the priming effect was significantly higher for the L2–L1 language direction. Results are discussed in terms of language dominance mechanisms and the Revised Hierarchical Model of bilingual memory representation.
Routledge eBooks, Oct 21, 2019
Cambridge University Press eBooks, Dec 24, 2019
This book provides students and researchers of bilingualism with the most recent methodological a... more This book provides students and researchers of bilingualism with the most recent methodological and theoretical advances on how bilinguals resolve ambiguous information across languages. With reports on the latest findings from the behavioral and neuropsychological fields, the authors survey the latest research into bilingual language-system modelling and bilingual lexical ambiguity processing. Each chapter looks at bilingual ambiguity resolution both at the word and sentence levels, explaining how bilinguals ultimately comprehend ambiguous information arising from languages they already know. This volume not only explores enduring theoretical questions in bilingual research, such as bilingual representation and language processing, but also evaluates the extent to which the existing bilingual models can satisfactorily account for the most recent research findings
Cambridge University Press eBooks, Jan 26, 2015
Bilingual Figurative Language Processing is a timely book that provides a much-needed bilingual p... more Bilingual Figurative Language Processing is a timely book that provides a much-needed bilingual perspective to the broad field of figurative language. This is the first book of its kind to address how bilinguals acquire, store, and process figurative language, such as idiomatic expressions (e.g., kick the bucket), metaphors (e.g., lawyers are sharks), and irony, and how these tropes might interact in real time across the bilingual's two languages. This volume offers the reader and the bilingual student an overview of the major strands of research, both theoretical and empirical, currently being undertaken in this field of inquiry. At the same time, Bilingual Figurative Language Processing provides readers and undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to acquire handson experience in the development of psycholinguistic experiments in bilingual figurative language. Each chapter includes a section on suggested student research projects. Selected chapters provide detailed procedures on how to design and develop psycholinguistic experiments. roberto r. heredia, p hd, is professor of psychology in the Department of Psychology and Communication at Texas A&M International University. He served as chair of the Department of Behavioral Sciences for two years. He is currently the director and principal investigator of a multimillion-dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education. He has published on bilingual memory, bilingual lexical representation, and bilingual nonliteral language processing. He is coauthor of Bilingual Sentence Processing; An Introduction to Bilingualism: Principles and Processes, first edition; and Foundations of Bilingual Memory; and he was guest editor for Experimental Psychology. anna b. cieś l i c ka , p hd , is associate professor of psychology in the Department of Psychology and Communication at Texas A&M International University. Her recent publications in Brain and Language and the Journal of Psycholinguistic Research explore hemispheric differences in the course of bilingual figurative language processing and factors affecting bilingual lexical access, such as language dominance, context, and salience. Dr. Cieślicka is the recipient and principal investigator of a National Science Foundation Major Research Instrumentation research grant to establish the Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory to study the neurophysiology of bilingual language processing. She is also coeditor of Methods in Bilingual Reading Comprehension Research.
Studies in Psychology, 2021
ABSTRACT Two experiments examined meaning (re)activation of English idiomatic expressions by Span... more ABSTRACT Two experiments examined meaning (re)activation of English idiomatic expressions by Spanish-dominant, English-dominant and balanced bilinguals. Participants listened to idiomatic expressions of the type I always 3*miss the boat1 * when it comes to jokes, and that2 * makes it nearly4 * impossible to attend comedy shows, and made lexical decisions to visually presented targets that were related literally (water), figuratively (fail) or unrelated to the critical idiomatic expression. In Experiment 1, we measured meaning activation immediately at idiom offset (probe 1*) and after an anaphoric referential description (e.g., that; probe 2*). Probe 2 was intended to further examine whether an anaphoric referential description was more likely to (re)activate its antecedent figurative interpretation that could be more pragmatically plausible than its literal representation. In Experiment 2, targets were presented at idiom onset and 300 ms after anaphor offset. Results revealed that idiom meaning (re)activation was modulated by language dominance, where English-dominant and balanced bilinguals had faster and more accurate responses than Spanish-dominant bilinguals.
Methods in Bilingual Reading Comprehension Research, 2016
The current chapter introduces the reader to the vision and the contents of the present volume—Me... more The current chapter introduces the reader to the vision and the contents of the present volume—Methods in Bilingual Reading Comprehension Research. The focus is on traditional as well as newly developed methodological approaches to the study of bilingual reading. Findings are critically reviewed stemming from the well-known behavioral approaches to those that are neuropsycholinguistic in nature. The ways in which reading comprehension is measured are critically important to the eventual outcomes of empirical work and to their theoretical significance. An emphasis is placed on the advantages and the challenges of using particular methods to examine language representation and cognition with caveats where necessary to inform the researcher as to the limitations or benefits of employing a particular technique. Overall, methods are used to understand how cognitive processes operate and how the mind interprets stimuli, regardless of the particular language that is known or spoken. This compendium is meant to provide a comprehensive overview of the methodology and empirical techniques that can be used to accurately assess reading behavior in bilingual readers and to stimulate new research directions regarding bilingual reading comprehension.
Multilingual Matters eBooks, Dec 31, 2006
Languages, Jan 31, 2023
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Frontiers in Psychology, 2021
The present study is a pilot test designed to verify the Figurative Language Battery that we have... more The present study is a pilot test designed to verify the Figurative Language Battery that we have developed to explore figurative language skills of individuals with aphasia. Material and methods: Eight left brain damaged patients and ten controls were tested using the battery. The battery consists of four parts, each of which focuses on a different figurative trope (idioms, metaphors, proverbs, and similes), and employs either a Multiple Choice task (choosing the correct paraphrase from among literally related and unrelated distractors) or an Oral Completion task (providing the last, missing word of the figurative phrase). Data were collected in individual sessions during which participants were asked to complete the figurative language battery. Results: Overall, patients showed a strong literal bias in comprehending figurative expressions, i.e., they tended to interpret idioms and metaphors in a literal, rather than figurative, manner, consistent with findings reported in the literature. In addition, the obtained results confirm that the type of figurative trope significantly affects performance of individuals with aphasia. Patients performed significantly better on overlearned sequences, such as proverbs or similes, than on idioms and metaphors. Conventional metaphors were easier to understand than unconventional (novel) ones, and opaque, unambiguous idioms were easier than transparent, ambiguous ones. Conclusions: The type of figurative trope, and possibly also the type of task, affect figurative performance of individuals with aphasia. The study carries important implications for designing diagnostic tools aiming to uncover figurative language impairment in aphasia.
Bilingual Figurative Language Processing
Acquiring competence in figurative language is a challenging aspect of the second/foreign (L2) la... more Acquiring competence in figurative language is a challenging aspect of the second/foreign (L2) language learning process. A crucial component of figurative competence is the knowledge of idiomatic expressions. The present chapter focuses on the acquisition and processing of idioms by L2 learners. It first discusses the different dimensions along which idiomatic expressions vary and reviews theoretical accounts of the representation and processing of idioms by native language (L1) and L2 speakers. A parasitic mechanism of L2 idiom acquisition is suggested as the most plausible cognitive strategy in building the L2 figurative competence. Factors affecting L1 idiom processing such as idiom literal plausibility, semantic decomposability, salience, and context are analyzed, and their potential role in L2 idiomatic processing is discussed. In addition, factors uniquely relevant for L2 idiom acquisition and processing, such as cross-language similarity, are identified
The present study is a pilot test designed to verify the Figurative Language Battery that we have... more The present study is a pilot test designed to verify the Figurative Language Battery that we have developed to explore figurative language skills of individuals with aphasia. Material and methods: Eight left brain damaged patients and ten controls were tested using the battery. The battery consists of four parts, each of which focuses on a different figurative trope (idioms, metaphors, proverbs, and similes), and employs either a Multiple Choice task (choosing the correct paraphrase from among literally related and unrelated distractors) or an Oral Completion task (providing the last, missing word of the figurative phrase). Data were collected in individual sessions during which participants were asked to complete the figurative language battery. Results: Overall, patients showed a strong literal bias in comprehending figurative expressions, i.e., they tended to interpret idioms and metaphors in a literal, rather than figurative, manner, consistent with findings reported in the literature. In addition, the obtained results confirm that the type of figurative trope significantly affects performance of individuals with aphasia. Patients performed significantly better on overlearned sequences, such as proverbs or similes, than on idioms and metaphors. Conventional metaphors were easier to understand than unconventional (novel) ones, and opaque, unambiguous idioms were easier than transparent, ambiguous ones. Conclusions: The type of figurative trope, and possibly also the type of task, affect figurative performance of individuals with aphasia. The study carries important implications for designing diagnostic tools aiming to uncover figurative language impairment in aphasia.
As a way to introduce this chapter, consider sentences 1a-b uttered by a Spanish-English bilingua... more As a way to introduce this chapter, consider sentences 1a-b uttered by a Spanish-English bilingual child
This chapter provides a critical review of the cross-modal lexical priming (CMLP) paradigm and it... more This chapter provides a critical review of the cross-modal lexical priming (CMLP) paradigm and its variants as used in the bilingual lexical access literature. We first discuss methodological concerns related to task processing demands and the specific requirements (e.g., ecological validity, online vs. offline) required to appropriately assess bilingual exhaustive activation. We then go on to discuss the functionality and reliability of the CMLP and its implementations in bilingual cross-language priming, bilingual figurative language processing (e.g., idioms and metaphors), and word type effects (e.g., homophones, homographs). We underscore the CMLP’s capability and flexibility to probe for bilingual multiple lexical activation at multiple points throughout the spoken sentence and provide early and late measures of language processing
Springer eBooks, 2016
A number of connectionist models (inspired by biological neural networks) have been designed to s... more A number of connectionist models (inspired by biological neural networks) have been designed to simulate human data in bilingual word reading tasks. These models have in common a reliance on neuron-like nodes that are connected by a distributed pattern of synapse-like connections. When some nodes become active due to linguistic input, this activation pattern spreads throughout the network and eventually activates other nodes that correspond to word recognition states and/or motor responses. Various models differ with one another on certain architectural details. Some models use localist representations, where a single node represents each word, while others use distributed representations, where each word is represented by a pattern of activation across many nodes. Some models focus on how the connection strengths are developed via a learning algorithm, while others focus more on real-time processing dynamics. By fi tting existing human data, and then making explicit predictions for future experiments, these different models steadily advance our understanding of how bilinguals comprehend written words.
The TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching, Jan 15, 2019
Springer eBooks, 2017
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this p... more The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Poznan Studies in Contemporary Linguistics, 2017
The purpose of the experiments reported here is to explore the effects of task (implicit vs. expl... more The purpose of the experiments reported here is to explore the effects of task (implicit vs. explicit) on the activation of literal and figurative meanings of English idiomatic expressions in the course of their processing by Spanish-English bilinguals varying along their dominance in English or Spanish. Two experiments were carried out using a rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) task: an implicit lexical decision task and an explicit meaningfulness judgment task. Stimuli included literally plausible English idioms (e.g. kick the bucket, which has both a figurative meaning-'to die', and a literal interpretation-'to strike a pail with one's foot'). Mixed Linear Model analyses were conducted on the lexical decision and meaningfulness judgment data, with context (literal vs. figurative vs. control) and target type (literal vs. figurative) as within-subject factors, and bilingual dominance (Spanish-dominant vs. English-dominant) as a between-subject factor. Results showed strong salience effects in the implicit task and strong context effects in the explicit task. Specifically, only literal target activation was found for Spanishdominant participants in the implicit, lexical decision task, as opposed to Englishdominant participants, where both literal and figurative meanings were equally strongly activated. In the explicit, meaningfulness judgment task, regardless of language dominance, congruent targets (both literal-congruent and figurative-congruent) were recognized faster than incongruent ones, both by English-and Spanish-dominant participants.
Cambridge University Press eBooks, Jan 2, 2020
This chapter reports on three experiments using the cross-modal lexical priming paradigm to explo... more This chapter reports on three experiments using the cross-modal lexical priming paradigm to explore whether interlingual homographs (i.e., words with competing semantic and overlapping orthographic representations) are activated selectively or nonselectively. The literature is somewhat controversial when it comes to the question of how bilinguals process ambiguous language. While the majority of studies suggest language nonselectivity, some research seems to indicate selective bilingual lexical access depending on the user’s linguistic needs and demands. In Experiment 1, which serves as a baseline, Spanish-English bilinguals listened to sentences in which a critical prime (e.g., trial) was associated with the English meaning of a homograph target (cases). In Experiment 2, participants were presented with homograph-translation primes (e.g., the stimulus married is presented before cases). Experiment 3, aside from the homograph-translation priming from Experiment 2, included a Spanish language mode induction variable presented at the beginning of the experiment. Results point to the effects of proficiency and priming in modulating language coactivation
Springer eBooks, 2016
This chapter discusses cross-language activation in the course of processing language by bilingua... more This chapter discusses cross-language activation in the course of processing language by bilingual speakers. We first discuss the cross-modal lexical priming paradigm (CMLP), a powerful tool to explore online multiple language activation. We next provide an overview of research concerning multiple language activation in the course of bilingual lexical processing. Finally, we present results of four experiments examining the effects of context in connected speech on cross-language priming in Spanish-English bilinguals. Participants in Experiment 1 listened to sentences in Spanish, their first language, and named Spanish and English targets, related or unrelated to a critical prime within the sentence. Experiment 2 was similar to Experiment 1, except that prior context was biased toward the critical prime. Experiments 3–4 were identical to Experiments 1–2, respectively, but with sentences in English, their second language. Comparable cross-language priming was observed for Experiments 1–2. Likewise, Experiments 3–4 showed similar priming patterns. However, the priming effect was significantly higher for the L2–L1 language direction. Results are discussed in terms of language dominance mechanisms and the Revised Hierarchical Model of bilingual memory representation.
Routledge eBooks, Oct 21, 2019
Cambridge University Press eBooks, Dec 24, 2019
This book provides students and researchers of bilingualism with the most recent methodological a... more This book provides students and researchers of bilingualism with the most recent methodological and theoretical advances on how bilinguals resolve ambiguous information across languages. With reports on the latest findings from the behavioral and neuropsychological fields, the authors survey the latest research into bilingual language-system modelling and bilingual lexical ambiguity processing. Each chapter looks at bilingual ambiguity resolution both at the word and sentence levels, explaining how bilinguals ultimately comprehend ambiguous information arising from languages they already know. This volume not only explores enduring theoretical questions in bilingual research, such as bilingual representation and language processing, but also evaluates the extent to which the existing bilingual models can satisfactorily account for the most recent research findings
Cambridge University Press eBooks, Jan 26, 2015
Bilingual Figurative Language Processing is a timely book that provides a much-needed bilingual p... more Bilingual Figurative Language Processing is a timely book that provides a much-needed bilingual perspective to the broad field of figurative language. This is the first book of its kind to address how bilinguals acquire, store, and process figurative language, such as idiomatic expressions (e.g., kick the bucket), metaphors (e.g., lawyers are sharks), and irony, and how these tropes might interact in real time across the bilingual's two languages. This volume offers the reader and the bilingual student an overview of the major strands of research, both theoretical and empirical, currently being undertaken in this field of inquiry. At the same time, Bilingual Figurative Language Processing provides readers and undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to acquire handson experience in the development of psycholinguistic experiments in bilingual figurative language. Each chapter includes a section on suggested student research projects. Selected chapters provide detailed procedures on how to design and develop psycholinguistic experiments. roberto r. heredia, p hd, is professor of psychology in the Department of Psychology and Communication at Texas A&M International University. He served as chair of the Department of Behavioral Sciences for two years. He is currently the director and principal investigator of a multimillion-dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education. He has published on bilingual memory, bilingual lexical representation, and bilingual nonliteral language processing. He is coauthor of Bilingual Sentence Processing; An Introduction to Bilingualism: Principles and Processes, first edition; and Foundations of Bilingual Memory; and he was guest editor for Experimental Psychology. anna b. cieś l i c ka , p hd , is associate professor of psychology in the Department of Psychology and Communication at Texas A&M International University. Her recent publications in Brain and Language and the Journal of Psycholinguistic Research explore hemispheric differences in the course of bilingual figurative language processing and factors affecting bilingual lexical access, such as language dominance, context, and salience. Dr. Cieślicka is the recipient and principal investigator of a National Science Foundation Major Research Instrumentation research grant to establish the Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory to study the neurophysiology of bilingual language processing. She is also coeditor of Methods in Bilingual Reading Comprehension Research.
Studies in Psychology, 2021
ABSTRACT Two experiments examined meaning (re)activation of English idiomatic expressions by Span... more ABSTRACT Two experiments examined meaning (re)activation of English idiomatic expressions by Spanish-dominant, English-dominant and balanced bilinguals. Participants listened to idiomatic expressions of the type I always 3*miss the boat1 * when it comes to jokes, and that2 * makes it nearly4 * impossible to attend comedy shows, and made lexical decisions to visually presented targets that were related literally (water), figuratively (fail) or unrelated to the critical idiomatic expression. In Experiment 1, we measured meaning activation immediately at idiom offset (probe 1*) and after an anaphoric referential description (e.g., that; probe 2*). Probe 2 was intended to further examine whether an anaphoric referential description was more likely to (re)activate its antecedent figurative interpretation that could be more pragmatically plausible than its literal representation. In Experiment 2, targets were presented at idiom onset and 300 ms after anaphor offset. Results revealed that idiom meaning (re)activation was modulated by language dominance, where English-dominant and balanced bilinguals had faster and more accurate responses than Spanish-dominant bilinguals.
Methods in Bilingual Reading Comprehension Research, 2016
The current chapter introduces the reader to the vision and the contents of the present volume—Me... more The current chapter introduces the reader to the vision and the contents of the present volume—Methods in Bilingual Reading Comprehension Research. The focus is on traditional as well as newly developed methodological approaches to the study of bilingual reading. Findings are critically reviewed stemming from the well-known behavioral approaches to those that are neuropsycholinguistic in nature. The ways in which reading comprehension is measured are critically important to the eventual outcomes of empirical work and to their theoretical significance. An emphasis is placed on the advantages and the challenges of using particular methods to examine language representation and cognition with caveats where necessary to inform the researcher as to the limitations or benefits of employing a particular technique. Overall, methods are used to understand how cognitive processes operate and how the mind interprets stimuli, regardless of the particular language that is known or spoken. This compendium is meant to provide a comprehensive overview of the methodology and empirical techniques that can be used to accurately assess reading behavior in bilingual readers and to stimulate new research directions regarding bilingual reading comprehension.