Translation Ambiguity Affects Language Processing, Learning, and Representation

Adult second language (L2) learners are faced with a particular challenge relative to child L2 learners—adults arrive at the language learning situation with a fully-formed and ingrained first language (L1) system in place. As a result, adult learners are particularly influenced by the transfer of information from L1 to L2 (e.g., MacWhinney, 2005). Although transfer assists learning in some domains, mismatches between L1 and L2 pose particular challenges. Such difficulties can arise at any level of language. The present review focuses on mismatches at the lexical level, with a specific emphasis on research that has explored translation ambiguity, which occurs when a word in one language can be translated into another language in more than one way (see Tokowicz & Degani, 2010). In this review, I first describe the sources, measurement, and prevalence of translation ambiguity. Then, studies conducted on the impact of translation ambiguity on language processing, learning, and representation are described. To date, translation ambiguity has been incorporated into only two models of bilingual language representation: the Distributed Feature Model and the Revised Hierarchical Model. The relevant adaptations of these models are discussed in the section on the impact of translation ambiguity on language processing, where they are most relevant. I conclude with a discussion of the implications of the research on translation ambiguity for models of bilingual language representation and for language instruction, and make suggestions for future research in this area.