The Second Language Acquisition and Sentence Processing Lab supports all manner of processing research and is headed by Laurent Dekydtspotter. 

The lab uses cutting-edge methodology to address the neurocognitive bases of second language acquisition including the neurofunctional processes that implement language computations as well as the encoding of new features and expressions in second language acquisition. The lab research has a strong focus on syntax-semantics representations, morphosyntactic features, and language epistemology.

Facilities

The Second Language Acquisition and Sentence Processing Lab is equipped with 4 PCs and a portable eye-tracking system on a laptop. We also have a PC workstation equipped with Matlab and EEGLAB.

 Members

Recent Publications

• Dekydtspotter, L., Miller, K., Swanson, K., Cha, J.-H. Xiong, Y., Ahn, J.-H., Gilbert, J. A., Pope, D., Iverson, M., Meinert, K. (2024). Hierarchical neural processing in γ oscillations for syntactic and semantic operations accounts for a single epistemology in native and nonnative French. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/human-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2024.1372909/full
• Dekydtspotter, L., Miller, A. K., Iverson, M., Xiong, Y., Swanson, K., and Gilbert, C. (2023). The timing versus resource problem in nonnative sentence processing: evidence from a time-frequency analysis of anaphora resolution in successive wh-movement in native and nonnative speakers of French, https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0275305

Collaborations and Ongoing Projects

The status of syntax in L2 sentence processing: behavioral investigations

• Hyun-Kyoung Seo, IUPUI, Columbus
• Mark Black, Ph.D. candidate, French Linguistics
• Rodica Frimu, Ph.D. candidate, French Linguistics
• Amber Panwitz, Ph.D. candidate, French Linguistics
• Charlene Gilbert, Ph.D. track French Linguistics
• Alisha Reaves, Ph.D. track French Linguistics
• Cyntia Vernhet, Ph.D. track French Linguistics

Parser grammar relations: lexical access and learning

• Claire Renaud, Prof. Arizona State University
• Hyun-Jin Kim, Second Language Study
• Tanial Leal, postdoc Spanish & Portuguese
• Rodica Frimu, Ph.D. candidate, French Linguistics

Syntactic Chains: ERP investigations in French, Spanish and English

• Charlene Gilbert, Ph.D. track French Linguistics
• Alisha Reaves, Ph.D. track French Linguistics
• Cyntia Vernhet, Ph.D. track French Linguistics
• Tanial Leal, postdoc Spanish & Portuguese
• Mike Iverson, postdoc Second Language Studies
• Kate A, Miller, Prof. IUPU Indianapolis

This work made possible thanks to the shared facilities of the Imaging Research Facility, Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dr. Sharlene Newman, Director, and Isaiah Innis, EEG Technician.