View in EDS

Learning Unacceptability: Repeated Exposure to Acceptable Sentences Improves Adult Learners' Recognition of Unacceptable Sentences.

Saved in:

Bibliographic Details
Title:	Learning Unacceptability: Repeated Exposure to Acceptable Sentences Improves Adult Learners' Recognition of Unacceptable Sentences.
Authors:	Tachihara, Karina¹ ktachihara@ucdavis.edu, Goldberg, Adele E.²
Source:	Language Learning. Mar2025, Vol. 75 Issue 1, p77-116. 40p.
Subject Terms:	Adult learning, Fluency (Language learning), Language ability, Sentences (Grammar), Spanish dialects
Abstract:	Adults learning a new language tend to judge unconventional utterances more leniently than fluent speakers do; ratings on acceptable utterances, however, tend to align more closely with fluent speakers. This asymmetry raises a question as to whether unconventional utterances can be statistically preempted by conventional utterances for adult learners. We report a preregistered study that provided undergraduates in Spanish classes with three days of exposure to conventional Spanish sentences without feedback. Judgment data reveal a significant effect of statistical preemption, particularly on intermediate learners, as predicted: Repeatedly witnessing conventional sentences led learners to subsequently judge as significantly lower the corresponding unconventional formulations in comparison to unrelated unconventional sentences. Current findings indicate that adult learners can take advantage of statistical preemption to learn the unacceptability of unconventional sentences from repeated exposure to acceptable alternatives, without explicit instruction or feedback. A one‐page Accessible Summary of this article in nontechnical language is freely available in the Supporting Information online and at https://oasis‐database.org. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
	Copyright of Language Learning is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database:	Education Research Complete

Description
Abstract:	Adults learning a new language tend to judge unconventional utterances more leniently than fluent speakers do; ratings on acceptable utterances, however, tend to align more closely with fluent speakers. This asymmetry raises a question as to whether unconventional utterances can be statistically preempted by conventional utterances for adult learners. We report a preregistered study that provided undergraduates in Spanish classes with three days of exposure to conventional Spanish sentences without feedback. Judgment data reveal a significant effect of statistical preemption, particularly on intermediate learners, as predicted: Repeatedly witnessing conventional sentences led learners to subsequently judge as significantly lower the corresponding unconventional formulations in comparison to unrelated unconventional sentences. Current findings indicate that adult learners can take advantage of statistical preemption to learn the unacceptability of unconventional sentences from repeated exposure to acceptable alternatives, without explicit instruction or feedback. A one‐page Accessible Summary of this article in nontechnical language is freely available in the Supporting Information online and at https://oasis‐database.org. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:	00238333
DOI:	10.1111/lang.12660