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Bilingual language representation and cognitive processes in translation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2008

ANNA HATZIDAKI*
Affiliation:
University of Edinburgh
EMMANUEL M. POTHOS
Affiliation:
University of Swansea
*
ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE Anna Hatzidaki, Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9GZ, UK. E-mail: annh_22@yahoo.com

Abstract

A text-translation task and a recognition task investigated the hypothesis that semantic memory principally mediates translation from a bilingual's native first language (L1) to her second language (L2), whereas lexical memory mediates translation from L2 to L1. This has been held for word translation by the revised hierarchical model (RHM) of Kroll and Stewart. The results from Greek, English, and French fluent bilinguals showed semantic errors in L1–L2 direction and lexical errors in L2–L1 direction in the translation task as RHM would predict, but not semantic effects in L1–L2 direction in the word recognition task. These findings suggest a flexible use of conceptual and lexical connections that fluent bilinguals engage, depending upon the cognitive processes required by the task at hand.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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