The effects of mother-tongue on the processing of Japanese kanji-compound words by native Chinese speakers learning Japanese

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Other Title
  • 中国人日本語学習者の日本語漢字語の処理における母語の影響

Abstract

The present study investigated the mother-tongue effects of the lexical processing of Japanese kanji-compound words by native Chinese speakers learning Japanese. Based on a Japanese vocabulary test, 51 native Chinese speakers were divided into two groups of greater and lesser lexical knowledge. A multiple-item lexical decision task for the processing of Japanese kanji-compound words was conducted with both groups. Reaction times showed a significant effect of word frequency on the processing of kanji compound words, but no difference was found between the greater and lesser lexical knowledge groups in processing speed. In contrast, the greater lexical knowledge group processed Japanese kanji-compound words more accurately than the lesser lexical knowledge group. This tendency of accuracy was especially apparent in the processing of low frequency words. Furthermore, the greater lexical knowledge group showed higher accuracy than the lesser lexical knowledge group in correctly rejecting kanji-compound words existing in Chinese but not in Japanese. Overall results suggest that regardless of Japanese lexical knowledge, native Chinese speakers learning Japanese seem to be able to process kanji quickly due to the use of the kanji script in both Chinese and Japanese. However, lexical knowledge of Japanese plays an important role in correctly identifying Japanese kanji-compound words, and the lexical knowledge of the Chinese mother-tongue (i.e., first language) seems to interfere with accurate decisions in this regard.

Journal

  • ことばの科学

    ことばの科学 22 117-135, 2009-12-15

    名古屋大学言語文化研究会

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