The combined effects of a higher-level verb distribution and verb semantics on second language learners’ restriction of L2 construction generalization

Abstract This study aims to uncover the combined effects of a higher-level verb distribution (i.e., the distribution of one-construction only verbs and alternating verbs across English) and verb semantics on Chinese EFL learners’ restriction of generalization of English prenominal past participles (PPPs). Three groups were formed: a lexicalist group, a generalist group, and a mixed group. During the treatment, the lexicalist group were exposed to input involving one-construction only verbs exclusively; the generalist group, alternating verbs only; the mixed group, both one-construction only and alternating verbs. An acceptability judgment task was employed to assess L2 learners’ construction generalization. The study found that, (1) the Lexicalist group exhibited significantly less generalization with the known state-change verbs than either the Generalist or the Mixed group, and significantly less generalization with the known non-state-change verbs than the Generalist group; (2) the Lexicalist group showed less generalization with extensive exposure one-construction only new verbs than the mixed group whereas the generalist and the mixed group did not differ significantly regarding construction preference of extensive exposure alternating new verbs; (3) the Lexicalist group were significantly less likely to generalize the PPP-only minimal exposure new verb than either the Generalist or Mixed group, and significantly less liable to generalize the relative clause (RC)-only minimal exposure new verb as opposed to the Generalist group; (4) moreover, the three groups differed significantly in regularization (operationalized as the number of participants who tended to accept each verb in only one of two competing constructions) of no exposure new verbs, with the lexicalist group producing more regularization than the other two groups.