Executive function and Language Learning: Differentiating Vocabulary and Morpho-Syntax

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Authors

In recent years, the debate around the relationship between executive control and bilingual language proficiency has extended to the investigation of the role of the former in second language learning. The present study is based on data collected from 20 native and near-native adult speakers of English and investigated the relationship between the learning of Brocanto2, an artificial language with a complex morpho-syntax, and two measures of executive function - cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control. Although the result of the present study did not support the existence of a significant relationship between executive function and the acquisition of L2 morpho-syntax, they confirmed the role of vocabulary learning as a factor possibly driving the correlations between language learning and executive function found in previous studies
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationPapers from the 10th Lancaster University Postgraduate Conference in Linguistics and Language Teaching
EditorsElena Nichele, Diana Pili-Moss, Chongrak Sitthirak
Number of pages23
Place of PublicationLancaster
PublisherLancaster University
Publication date2016
Pages53-75
Publication statusPublished - 2016
Externally publishedYes