Skip to main content
Log in

Repetition Priming Effects in Proficient Mandarin–Cantonese and Cantonese–Mandarin Bidialectals: An Event-Related Potential Study

  • Published:
Journal of Psycholinguistic Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The present study adopted a repetition priming paradigm to investigate the bidialectal (bilingual) representation of speakers with different native dialects by event-related potential (ERP) technique. Proficient Mandarin–Cantonese and Cantonese–Mandarin bidialectals participated in the study. They were required to judge whether a word was a biological word or not, when the words (target word) were represented under four types of repetition priming conditions: Mandarin (prime)–Mandarin (target), Mandarin (prime)–Cantonese (target), Cantonese (prime)–Cantonese (target) and Cantonese (prime)–Mandarin (target). Results of reaction time and accuracy primarily indicated larger repetition priming effects in Mandarin–Mandarin and Cantonese–Cantonese (within-language) conditions than that in Mandarin–Cantonese and Cantonese–Mandarin (between-language) conditions. But more importantly, P200 and N400 mean amplitudes revealed distinct repetition priming effects between two types of participants. Specifically, both P200 and N400 indicated that the repetition priming effect in Mandarin–Mandarin condition was larger than that in Cantonese–Cantonese condition for Mandarin–Cantonese participants, whereas it was opposite for Cantonese–Mandarin participants. In addition, P200 also suggested opposite patterns of repetition priming effects in between-language priming conditions for two groups of participants. The repetition priming effect in Mandarin–Cantonese condition was larger than that in Cantonese–Mandarin condition for Mandarin–Cantonese participants, while for Cantonese–Mandarin participants, it was opposite (Mandarin–Cantonese < Cantonese–Mandarin). The results implied a clear asymmetric representation of two dialects for proficient bidialectals. They were further discussed in light of native dialect and language use frequency.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alvarez, R. P., Holcomb, P. J., & Grainger, J. (2003). Accessing word meaning in two languages: An event-related brain potential study of beginning bilinguals. Brain & Language, 87(2), 290–304.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barac, R., & Bialystok, E. (2012). Bilingual effects on cognitive and linguistic development: Role of language, cultural background, and education. Child Development, 83(2), 413–422. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Cai, L. J. (2013). The Long-term cross-language repetition priming of less proficient Cantonese–Mandarin bilinguals: An ERP Study (Doctoral dissertation, Jinan University). (In Chinese)

  • Caramazza, A., Yeni-Komshian, G. H., Zurif, E. B., & Carbone, E. (1973). The acquisition of a new phonological contrast: The case of stop consonants in French–English bilinguals. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 54(2), 421–428.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chee, M. W., Tan, E. W., & Thiel, T. (1999). Mandarin and English single word processing studied with functional magnetic resonance imaging. Journal of Neuroscience, 19(8), 3050–3056.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng, X., Schafer, G., & Riddell, P. M. (2014). Immediate auditory repetition of words and nonwords: An ERP study of lexical and sublexical processing. PLoS One, 9(3), e91988.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, C. Y., Zhang, X. X., Li, L., & Wang, R. M. (2015). Bilingual memory representations in less fluent Chinese–English bilinguals: An event-related potential study. Psychological Reports, 116(1), 230–241. doi:10.2466/28.PR0.116k13w7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cheung, H., & Chen, H. C. (1998). Lexical and conceptual processing in Chinese–English bilinguals: Further evidence for asymmetry. Memory & Cognition, 26(5), 1002–1013.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cutler, A., Mehler, J., Norris, D., & Segui, J. (1992). The monolingual nature of speech segmentation by bilinguals. Cognitive Psychology, 24(3), 381–410.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • De Groot, A. M. B., & Hoeks, J. C. (1995). The development of bilingual memory: Evidence from word translation by trilinguals. Language Learning, 45(4), 683–724.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dom Nguez, A., Alija, M., Cuetos, F., et al. (2006). Event related potentials reveal differences between morphological (prefixes) and phonological (syllables) processing of words. Neuroscience Letters, 408(1), 10–15. doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2006.06.048.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dufour, R., & Kroll, J. F. (1995). Matching words to concepts in two languages: A test of the concept mediation model of bilingual representation. Memory & Cognition, 23(2), 166–180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dunabeitia, J. A., Perea, M., & Carreiras, M. (2010). Masked translation priming effects with highly proficientsimultaneous bilinguals. Experimental Psychology, 57, 98–107.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fabbro, F. (1999). Handbook of neurolinguistics. Neuropsychologia, 37(1), 119–121.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferguson, C. A. (1959). Diglossia. Word, 15, 325–340.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geyer, A., Holcomb, P. J., Midgley, K. J., & Grainger, J. (2011). Processing words in two languages: An event-related brain potential study of proficient bilinguals. Journal of Neurolinguistics, 24(3), 338–351.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Guo, T., Misra, M., & Tam, J. W. (2012). On the time course of accessing meaning in a second language: An electrophysiological and behavioral investigation of translation recognition. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 38(5), 1165–1186. doi:10.1037/a0028076.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Heredia, R. R. (1996). Bilingual memory: A re-revised version of the hierarchical model of bilingual memory. CRL Newsletter, 10(3), 3–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hernandez, A. E., Bates, E. A., & Avila, L. X. (1996). Processing across the language boundary: A cross-modal priming study of Spanish–English bilinguals. Journal of Experimental Psychology Learning Memory & Cognition, 22(4), 846–864.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jouravlev, O., Lupker, S. J., & Jared, D. (2014). Cross-language phonological activation: Evidence from masked onset priming and ERPs. Brain and Language, 134, 11–22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kounios, J., & Holcomb, P. J. (1992). Structure and process in semantic memory: Evidence from event-related brain potentials and reaction times. Journal of Experimental Psychology General, 121(4), 459–479.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kroll, J. F., & Stewart, E. (1990). Concept mediation in bilingual translation. Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 28(6), 510.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kroll, J. F., & Stewart, E. (1994). Category interference in translation and picture naming: Evidence for asymmetric connections between bilingual memory representations. Journal of memory and language, 33(2), 149–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kutas, M., & Federmeier, K. D. (2011). Thirty years and counting: Finding meaning in the N400 component of the event-related brain potential (ERP). Annual Review of Psychology, 62, 621–647. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.093008.131123.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Lanwermeyer, M., Henrich, K., Rocholl, M. J., et al. (2016). Dialect variation influences the phonological and lexical-semantic word processing in sentences electrophysiological evidence from a cross-dialectal comprehension study. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 739. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00739.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Li, L., Mo, L., Wang, R. M., & Luo, X. Y. (2006). The effect of cross-language repetition priming in less proficient Chinese–English bilinguals. Psychological Science, 38(5), 672–680. (In Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Mai, S. Y., & Chen, J. (2014). The semantic access of less-proficient Teochew–Cantonese bilinguals: Evidences from processing of spoken words. Psychological Science, 46(2), 227–237. (In Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Ma, L. J., Wei, W., & Zhang, J. J. (2011). The effect of repetition priming in highly proficient Mandarin–Cantonese bilinguals. Psychological Research, 4(1), 24–29. (In Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Midgley, Katherine J., Holcomb, Phillip J., & Grainger, Jonathan. (2009). Masked repetition and translation priming in second language learners: A window on the time-course of form and meaning activation using ERPs. Psychophysiology, 46(3), 551–565. doi:10.1111/j.1469-8986.2009.00784.x.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Midgley, K. J., Holcomb, P. J., & Jonathan, G. (2009). Masked repetition and translation priming in second language learners: A window on the time-course of form and meaning activation using ERPs. Psychophysiology, 46(3), 551–565. doi:10.1111/j.1469-8986.2009.00784.x.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Misra, M., & Holcomb, P. J. (2003). Event-related potential indices of masked repetition priming. Psychophysiology, 40(1), 115–130.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mo, L., Li, L., & Wang, R. M. (2005). Evidence for long-term cross-language repetition priming of the highly proficient Chinese–English bilinguals. Psychological Science, 28(6), 1288–1293. (In Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Morris, J., Franck, T., Grainger, J., & Holcomb, P. J. (2007). Semantic transparency and masked morphological priming: An ERP investigation. Psychophysiology, 44, 506–521. doi:10.1111/j.1469-8986.2007.00538.x.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Palmer, S. D., van Hooff, J. C., & Havelka, J. (2010). Language representation and processing in fluent bilinguals: Electrophysiological evidence for asymmetric mapping in bilingual memory. Neuropsychologia, 48(5), 1426–1437. doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2010.01.010.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Phillips, N. A1., Klein, D., Mercier, J., & de Boysson, C. (2006). ERP measures of auditory word repetition and translation priming in bilinguals. Brain Research, 1125(1), 116–131. doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2006.10.002.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Potter, M. C., So, K. F., Eckardt, B. V., & Feldman, L. B. (1984). Lexical and conceptual representation in beginning and proficient bilinguals. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 23(1), 23–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Quan, J. J. (2012). The Repetition priming of proficiency Cantonese–Mandarin bilinguals: An ERP study (Doctoral dissertation, Jinan University). (In Chinese)

  • Sholl, A., Sankaranarayanan, A., & Kroll, J. F. (1995). Transfer between picture naming and translation: A test of asymmetries in bilingual memory. Psychological Science, 6(1), 45–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shuai, L., & Gong, T. (2014). Temporal relation between top-down and bottom-up processing in lexical tone perception. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 79(8), 97–97. doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2006.10.002.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ulrich, M., Hoenig, K., Gron, G., & Kiefer, M. (2013). Brain activation during masked and unmasked semantic priming: Commonalities and differences. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 25(12), 2216–2229.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zeelenberg, R., & Pecher, D. (2003). Evidence for long-term cross-language repetition priming in conceptual implicit memory tasks. Journal of Memory and Language, 49(1), 80–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, J. J., & Zhang, F. L. (2014). The language representention of auditory words in Cantonese–Mandarin diglossias. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 12(4), 433–440. (In Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81372113), the Production-learning-research project of Ministry of Education of Guangdong (No. 32712014), the Scientific cultivated specialized fund of the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University (No. 2013106), and Science and Technology Plan Project of Guangzhou (No. 201508020004).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhuoming Chen.

Ethics declarations

Conflicts of interest

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Appendix

Appendix

figure q

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yi, A., Chen, Z., Chang, Y. et al. Repetition Priming Effects in Proficient Mandarin–Cantonese and Cantonese–Mandarin Bidialectals: An Event-Related Potential Study. J Psycholinguist Res 46, 1367–1383 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10936-017-9495-x

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10936-017-9495-x

Keywords

Navigation