Prosody–syntax integration in a second language: Contrasting event-related potentials from German and Chinese learners of English using linear mixed effect models

Abstract

The role of prosodic information in sentence processing is not usually addressed in second language (L2) instruction, and neurocognitive studies on prosody–syntax interactions are rare. Here we compare event-related potentials (ERP) of Chinese and German learners of English L2 to those of native English speakers and show how first language (L1) background and L2 proficiency influence the online processing of prosody-induced garden-path effects. Unlike most previous ERP studies, we use linear mixed effect models to analyse L2 proficiency as a continuous (rather than categorical) variable. Our results show that both L1 background and language proficiency shape the integration of prosodic and syntactic cues, and that, importantly, even English native speakers’ ERPs were influenced by their English proficiency level. Lastly, this article also addresses why coverage of prosody in L2 classroom instruction may be beneficial.