Neural and behavioural correlates of syntactic and semantic processing in Yoruba-English bilinguals

Abstract

This study investigates the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying syntactic and semantic processing in Yoruba-English bilinguals, emphasizing how bilingual proficiency modulates these processes. Drawing on two complementary approaches—an electrophysiological examination of sentence comprehension and a behavioral analysis of sentence production—the research explores the interplay between language experience, real-time processing, and cross-linguistic influence. EEG data collected during sentence comprehension tasks reveal proficiency-related differences in event-related potentials (ERPs), particularly the N400 and P600 components. Meanwhile, behavioral data from sentence production tasks highlight variation in syntactic restructuring and cross-linguistic transfer based on bilingual proficiency. The findings contribute to our understanding of the dynamic and multi-layered nature of bilingual language processing, with implications for theories of second language acquisition, cognitive control, and neural plasticity.