Letter-sound integration in native Chinese speakers learning English: Brain fails in automatic responses but succeeds with more attention

Abstract

Both native language background and second-language proficiency may shape brain responses to a second language. Using cross-modal mismatch negativity (MMN) (pre-attentive processing) and audiovisual P300 (attentive processing) paradigms, this study examined how native Chinese speakers with various second-language proficiency responded to English letter-sound integration and what role visual attention may play in this process. The results indicated that native Chinese speakers failed to integrate letters and sounds in pre-attentive stage of reading, regardless of their English proficiency level, in contrast to the successful letter-sound integration shown by native English speakers. With more explicit visual attention resources, native Chinese speakers integrated English letters and sounds just as successfully as native English speakers did. These findings suggest that native language background may exert profound constraints on automatic brain responses to a second language, and attention may help the brain overcome these constraints and respond as required by the second language.