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Description
Lexical transfer has been an active area of research over the past several decades (e.g., Fuster & Neuser 2021; Jarvis & Pavlenko 2008; Odlin 2013; Puig-Mayenco et al. 2020; Ringbom 1987). Linguists have investigated the distinction between form-based and meaning-based categories of lexical cross-linguistic influence (e.g., Agustín-Llach 2019; Bardel 2015; Bardel & Lindqvist 2007; Dewaele 1998; Hall et al. 2009; Lindqvist 2009, 2010; Pavlenko 2009; Ringbom 2007). The present study examines the longitudinal trajectory of lexical transfer in learner English, focusing specifically on the qualitative shift from form-based to meaning-based transfer instances. The primary objective is to test the hypothesis that as learners gain proficiency in the target language, the nature of their lexical transfer undergoes a developmental shift. Specifically, the study assesses whether the proportion of form-based transfer (e.g., due to the influence of background language orthographic conventions, phonological characteristics, and cognate words) decreases, while the proportion of meaning-based transfer (e.g., semantic extensions and loan translations) proportionately increases.
Data for this research are drawn from the longitudinal project Multilingual Development: A Longitudinal Perspective (MEZ: Mehrsprachigkeitsentwicklung im Zeitverlauf). The project tracked German monolingual and Russian/Turkish-German bilingual learners within the German school system. Participants belonged to two age cohorts (aged 12–13 and 14–15 at the onset of the study) and attended three distinct school types (Gesamtschule, Gymnasium, and Realschule). Across four measurement points over a 2.5-year period, learners were presented with picture stories and asked to describe them in writing. Lexical transfer units were isolated, coded, and categorized as either form-based or meaning-based instances. Finally, Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs) with a binomial error distribution and a logit link function were employed to trace the distribution of these transfer categories within and across the learner groups over time.
Results indicate a significant developmental trajectory, with the shift toward meaning-based transfer being influenced by proficiency in the target language, measurement point, educational context, and demographic and linguistic factors. As longitudinal tracking progressed, the likelihood of meaning-based transfer increased significantly compared to the initial baseline. Ultimately, these findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of cross-linguistic influence, demonstrating that lexical transfer is not a static phenomenon but an indicator of developmental changes in the learner’s interlanguage.