Predictive Structural Building in the Processing of Sluicing with Reflexive Resolution by Korean L2 English Learners: An ERP Study

Abstract

Chung, Wonil, and Park, Myung-Kwan. 2017. Predictive Structural Building in the Processing of Sluicing with Reflexive Resolution by Korean L2 English Learners: An ERP Study. Korean Journal of English Language and Linguistics, 17-1, 27-58. In this paper we conduct an event-related potential (ERP) study of Korean English leaners’ processing of sluicing/TP-ellipsis to examine whether the L2 sentence parser can engage in predictive structural building in the course of sentence processing, especially focusing on whether the L2 parser preempts sluicing/TP-ellipsis structure when both sluicing and non-sluicing are potentially prospective structures. Our findings suggest that, unlike L1 speakers investigated in Yoshida, Dickey, and Sturt’s (2012) behavioral study, L2 learners are not sufficiently alert online to the structural details of the sluicing/non-sluicing environment to predictively build hierarchical clause structure for the sluiced TP. Nor are they aware of Binding Principle A that should regulate the relation between a reflexive and its antecedent to be established online during sentence building. We will also consider the rationale behind L2 learners’ deficiency in predictive structure building and Binding Principle A.