Lexical alignment in second language communication: evidence from a picture-naming task

Language alignment occurs when interlocutors mimic each other’s language. can happen as a result of priming, but may also be mediated by speakers’ beliefs about their interlocutor, including how language-proficient they believe the interlocutor to be. However, it is unknown whether bilingual speakers show such effects. In this study, participant and took turns labelling pictured objects. These had alternative labels—one preferred, one dispreferred – with latter used interlocutor. Participants were native Mandarin who rated themselves higher- or lower-intermediate L2 English learners. They told was either speaker, another English-learner. series three experiments, results showed that participants aligned using label. Rates varied, depending on perceived proficiency lesser extent, speaker’ self-rated proficiency.