Division of Cognitive Psychology, University of Potsdam.
European Master in Clinical Linguistics, University of Groningen.
Cogn Sci. 2022 Feb;46(2):e13105. doi: 10.1111/cogs.13105.
Previous research has shown that language switching is costly, and that these costs are likely to persist even when speakers are given ample time to prepare. The aim of this study was to determine whether there are cognitive limitations to speakers' ability to prepare for a switch, or whether a new language can be prepared in advance and any cost to switch language eliminated. To explore this, language switching costs were measured in a group of Dutch-English (L1-L2) bilinguals who named pictures in their two languages while the preparation time was manipulated. The participants were given either no time to prepare (cue to stimulus interval, CSI: 0 ms), or some time to prepare, for the target language (CSI: 250, 500, and 800 ms). The results revealed that when speakers had no time to prepare, language switching was costly. However, when preparation time was provided, switching costs disappeared. This suggests that there might be no cognitive limitations to the ability to prepare for a language switch, and that, provided enough preparation time, the effort to switch language could be eliminated. This finding might also explain why normal code-switched conversations seem effortless, as speakers typically have ample time to prepare for the language switch.
先前的研究表明，语言转换是有代价的，即使给说话者足够的时间准备，这些代价也可能持续存在。本研究旨在确定说话者在准备转换时是否存在认知限制，或者是否可以提前准备一种新语言，并消除任何转换语言的代价。为了探索这一点，我们在一群荷兰语-英语（L1-L2）双语者中测量了语言转换的代价，这些双语者在两种语言中命名图片，同时操纵准备时间。参与者要么没有时间准备（提示到刺激间隔，CSI：0 ms），要么有时间为目标语言准备（CSI：250、500 和 800 ms）。结果表明，当说话者没有时间准备时，语言转换是有代价的。然而，当提供准备时间时，转换代价就消失了。这表明，在准备语言转换方面，可能没有认知限制，并且，如果有足够的准备时间，可以消除转换语言的努力。这一发现也可以解释为什么正常的语码转换对话似乎毫不费力，因为说话者通常有足够的时间来准备语言转换。
