Second language vocabulary consolidation through incidental learning

Abstract

Abstract Previous first (L1) and second language (L2) vocabulary acquisition research suggests that newly learned words are initially encoded episodically and are only fully integrated into the lexicon after a period of offline consolidation. While prior L2 consolidation research has utilized intentional vocabulary learning tasks, L2 vocabulary learning often occurs incidentally during meaning-focused tasks. To investigate consolidation under more incidental learning conditions, adult L1 Polish-L2 English learners read and listened to a story that contained 12 novel English-like words with novel semantic meanings. Lexical integration was measured using a pause detection task in which response latencies were compared between competitor words similar in form to the newly learned English-like words (e.g., daffodil) and control words. Overall, there was no increase in response latency for competitor words after a 24-hour consolidation period. However, higher word recognition accuracy immediately after the learning task led to increased response latencies for competitor words relative to control words after a 24-hour consolidation period. These results suggest that initial learning of the L2 form—as measured by recognition accuracy—is critical for L2 lexical integration and that consolidation effects can extend to adult L2 word learning under more incidental learning conditions.