The impact of interlingual correspondences on cognate recognition in Slavic intercomprehension

Abstract The present paper is devoted to the problem of cognate recognition in an intercomprehension setting, which target language not directly known readers, but closely related their native language. Previous research has shown that once context accounted for, intelligibility partially predicted by measures interlingual proximity such as Levenshtein distance. Taken alone, however, are insufficient fully explain empirical data. It thus been suggested specific correspondences may have a more conspicuous impact than others. To verify this hypothesis, 163 East Slavic-speaking learners L2 Polish were asked translate set non-words, obtained manipulating Russian words with respect single segment (e.g. initial consonant). All non-words consistent phonotactics; some modifications matched existing phonological between and Russian, while others did not. Target items presented writing through online survey, initially isolation, subsequently within meaningful sentence. results show presence significantly improves chances recognition. Further, containing systematic sound resulted higher rate comprising arbitrary modifications. Within latter group, finally, consonants word-initial word-medial position well diverging positions stress lower scores.