Abstract
According to the asymmetry model of bilingual representation (Kroll & Stewart, 1994), the first language (L1) lexicon is closely tied to an underlying conceptual memory, whereas second language (L2) items are mostly associated with their L1 equivalents. An outcome of this architecture is that L1-to-L2, or forward, translation must be mediated by the conceptual memory, whereas L2-to-L1 (backward) translation takes a direct lexical path. Some predictions derived from this hypothetical structure were tested in the present study, which took into account, through analysis of covariance, variations in response production time, concept retrieval time, and some other characteristics associated with the individual test items. Proficient Chinese-English bilinguals were tested on delayed production (Balota & Chumbley, 1985), picture naming, word translation, and category matching. The expected asymmetrical pattern of translation latencies (i.e., forward > backward) was demonstrated, although it could be statistically explained by the item characteristic of familiarity; matching an L1 item to a category name was faster than matching an L2 item, suggesting relatively strong L1 conceptual links. The present results are best accommodated by a form of asymmetry that allows for nondominant L2-concept linkage, the use of which is conditional upon the familiarity of the test item to the bilingual.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Altarriba, J. (1990).Constraints on interlingual facilitation effects in priming in Spanish-English bilinguals. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Vanderbilt University.
Altarriba, J., &Mathis, K. M. (1997). Conceptual and lexical development in second language acquisition.Journal of Memory & Language,36, 550–568.
Balota, D. A., &Chumbley, J. I. (1985). The locus of word-frequency effects in the pronunciation task: Lexical access and/or production?Journal of Memory & Language,24, 89–106.
Chen, H.-C. (1990). Lexical processing in a non-native language: Effects of language proficiency and learning strategy.Memory & Cognition,18, 279–288.
Chen, H.-C. (1992). Reading comprehension in Chinese: Some implications from character reading times. In H.-C. Chen & O. J. L. Tzeng (Eds.),Language processing in Chinese (pp. 175–205). Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Chen, H.-C. (1996). Chinese reading and comprehension: A cognitive psychology perspective. In M. H. Bond (Ed.),Handbook of Chinese psychology (pp. 43–62). Hong Kong: Oxford University Press.
Chen, H.-C., Cheung, H., &Lau, S. (1997). Examining and reexamining the structure of Chinese-English bilingual memory.Psychological Research,60, 270–283.
Chen, H.-C., &Ho, C. (1986). Development of Stroop interference in Chinese-English bilinguals.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition,12, 397–401.
Chen, H.-C., &Leung, Y.-S. (1989). Patterns of lexical processing in a nonnative language.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition,15, 316–325.
Chen, H.-C., &Ng, M.-L. (1989). Semantic facilitation and translation priming effects in Chinese-English bilinguals.Memory & Cognition,17, 454–462.
De Groot, A. M. B. (1992a). Bilingual lexical representation: A closer look at conceptual representations. In R. Frost & L. Katz (Eds.),Orthography, phonology, morphology, and meaning (pp. 389–412). Amsterdam: Elsevier.
De Groot, A. M. [B.] (1992b). Determinants of word translation.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition, 18, 1001–1008.
De Groot, A. M. B., Dannenburg, L., &Van Hell, J. G. (1994). Forward and backward word translation by bilinguals.Journal of Memory & Language,33, 600–629.
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, 166–180.
Francis, W. N., &Kučera, H. (1982).Frequency analysis of English usage. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Hong Kong Department of Education (1986).A frequency count for words commonly used by Hong Kong junior secondary school students. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Government.
Jared, D., &Seidenberg, M. S. (1991). Does word identification proceed from spelling to sound to meaning?Journal of Experimental Psychology: General,120, 358–394.
Keatley, C. W., Spinks, J. A., &de Gelder, B. (1994). Asymmetrical cross-language priming effects.Memory & Cognition,22, 70–84.
Kroll, J. F., &Curley, J. (1988). Lexical memory in novice bilinguals: The role of concepts in retrieving second language words. In M. Gruneberg, P. Morris, & R. Sykes (Eds.),Practical aspects of memory (Vol. 2, pp. 389–395). London: Wiley.
Kroll, J. F., Dufour, R., Sholl, A., & Roufca, P. (1993, June).The role of concept mediation in acquiring a second language. Poster presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Society, Chicago.
Kroll, J. F., &Sholl, A. (1992). Lexical and conceptual memory in fluent and nonfluent bilinguals. In R. J. Harris (Ed.),Cognitive processing in bilinguals (pp. 191–204). Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Kroll, J. F., &Stewart, E. (1994). Category interference in translation and picture naming: Evidence for asymmetric connections between bilingual memory representations.Journal of Memory & Language, 33, 149–174.
La Heij, W., Hooglander, A., Kerling, R., &Van Der Velden, E. (1996). Nonverbal context effects in forward and backward word translation: Evidence for concept mediation.Journal of Memory & Language,35, 648–665.
Noble, C. E. (1953). The meaning-familiarity relationship.Psychological Review,60, 89–98.
Paivio, A., Yuille, J. C., &Madigan, S. A. (1968). Concreteness, imagery, and meaningfulness values for 925 nouns.Journal of Experimental Psychology,76(1, Pt. 2), 1–25.
Potter, M. C., So, K.-F., von Eckardt, B., &Feldman, L. B. (1984). Lexical and conceptual representation in beginning and proficient bilinguals.Journal of Verbal Learning & Verbal Behavior,23, 23–38.
Schwanenflugel, P. J., Harnishfeger, K. K., &Stowe, R. W. (1988). Context availability and lexical decisions for abstract and concrete words.Journal of Memory & Language,27, 499–520.
Sholl, A., Sankaranarayanan, A., &Kroll, J. F. (1995). Transfer between picture naming and translation: A test of asymmetries in bilingual memory.Psychological Science,6, 45–49.
Snodgrass, J. G. (Ed.) (1984). Concepts and their surface representations [Special issue].Journal of Verbal Learning & Verbal Behavior,23(1).
Snodgrass, J. G., &Vanderwart, M. (1980). A standardized set of 260 pictures: Norms for name agreement, image agreement, familiarity, and visual complexity.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Learning & Memory,6, 174–215.
Talamas, A., & Kroll, J. F. (1993, February).Form-related errors in second language learning: A preliminary stage in the acquisition of L2 vocabulary. Paper presented at the Conference on Second Language Acquisition and Foreign Language Learning, Purdue University.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
This research was supported by a Direct Grant for Research from the Social Science and Education Panel of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and by Earmarked Grants from the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong to H.-C.C.
—Accepted by previous associate editor Kathryn T. Spoehr
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cheung, H., Chen, HC. Lexical and conceptual processing in Chinese-English bilinguals: Further evidence for asymmetry. Mem Cogn 26, 1002–1013 (1998). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03201179
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03201179