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        <title>Frontiers in Psychology | Psychology of Language section | New and Recent Articles</title>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/sections/psychology-of-language</link>
        <description>RSS Feed for Psychology of Language section in the Frontiers in Psychology journal | New and Recent Articles</description>
        <language>en-us</language>
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        <pubDate>2026-05-12T22:01:59.842+00:00</pubDate>
        <ttl>60</ttl>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1783812</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1783812</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The ND250 indexes a visual–orthographic familiarity effect in visual word recognition: evidence from Chinese components]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-05-12T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Brief Research Report</category>
        <author>Ziyi Huang</author><author>Jinke Hao</author><author>Jianghua Han</author><author>Feng Gu</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Reading pseudowords (or low-frequency words) typically elicits stronger brain activation than real words (or high-frequency words) in the ventral occipitotemporal cortex (vOT). The ND250 has been proposed as an event-related potential (ERP) component indexing this enhanced neural response. However, the neural basis of the ND250 and its functional role in visual word recognition remain unclear. Within the framework of the Interactive Account, the ND250 has been interpreted as a prediction error signal, reflecting phonological–semantic top-down influences on orthographic processing. Alternatively, it can be interpreted as a visual–orthographic familiarity effect, with greater neural responses to unfamiliar orthographic stimuli than to familiar ones. The present study employed Chinese components as stimuli to dissociate visual-form frequency from phonological and semantic associations. ERPs to Chinese components were recorded during an implicit reading task. The results showed that the ND250 effect was not modulated by the frequency with which an orthographic stimulus (i.e., a Chinese component) is associated with phonological and semantic information. Instead, it was selectively modulated by the frequency with which the component’s visual form appears in written text. These findings challenge the interpretation of the ND250 as a prediction error signal proposed by the Interactive Account. Rather, they suggest that, under implicit task conditions, the ND250 is more consistent with the visual–orthographic familiarity account. By dissociating visual-form frequency from phonological and semantic associations, the present study advances our understanding of the neural basis of the ND250 and provides new insights into early visual–orthographic processing in visual word recognition.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1801765</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1801765</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Chinese as a second language anxiety and intervention in a technology-assisted environment: a mini-review]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-05-11T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Mini Review</category>
        <author>Bo Yu</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This mini-review examines research on anxiety among learners of Chinese as a second language (CSL) in technology-assisted environments. It synthesizes findings from empirical studies published between 2015 and 2025, focusing on the unique manifestations of anxiety in digital settings, key influencing factors (e.g., technological features, individual differences, instructional design), and evidence-based intervention strategies. Results indicate that technology can both alleviate and exacerbate anxiety: tools such as VR and gamification show promise in reducing oral and communicative anxiety, whereas technical challenges and emotional isolation may heighten distress. Notably, the same platform (e.g., video-conferencing) can produce opposite effects depending on task design and learner proficiency. The review also highlights methodological limitations, including small sample sizes and short-term designs, and proposes a Technology-Affect Interaction Framework to guide future research. The review recommends longitudinal, mixed-methods approaches and learner-centered technological ecosystems that systematically support emotional as well as cognitive dimensions of CSL learning.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1797415</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1797415</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Distinct ERP signatures for singular “they” and gender violations]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-30T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Joanna Morris</author><author>Jesse Snedeker</author><author>Grusha Prasad</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionThe English pronoun system is undergoing rapid change, with singular “they” increasingly used to refer to specific individuals. A key question is how this innovative usage is processed online, particularly when paired with gendered antecedents. The critical issue is whether singular “they” incurs processing costs similar to canonical gender mismatches or instead engages a distinct interpretive profile that avoids the neural signatures typically elicited by incongruent uses of “he” and “she”.MethodsWe addressed this question using event-related potentials (ERPs) in readers with high familiarity with singular “they”. Participants listened to sentences containing reflexive pronouns whose antecedents varied in gender specificity (gendered vs. non-gendered) and referential status (referential vs. bound-variable).ResultsAcross both the P600 (500–800 ms) and N400/Nref (300–500 ms) time windows, gender-incongruent reflexives elicited robust neural signatures of processing difficulty that depended on antecedent type. Referential mismatches with proper names (e.g., “John…herself”) produced frontal negativities consistent with referential integration difficulty, whereas bound-variable mismatches with quantified antecedents (e.g., “every woman…himself”) elicited large P600 effects characteristic of morphosyntactic repair. In contrast, singular “themselves” patterned differently from these gender mismatch responses in gendered antecedent contexts. In referential contexts, the N400/Nref response to singular “themselves” was intermediate between those for gender-congruent and gender-incongruent forms, consistent with a gradient of predictability. In bound-variable contexts, singular “themselves” patterned closely with gender-congruent reflexives, showing no evidence of a violation response.DiscussionThese findings suggest that, for speakers with substantial exposure, singular “themselves” does not behave like a canonical agreement mismatch, even in contexts that strongly penalize gender-incongruent forms. This pattern counters the intuition that gender-neutral reflexives necessarily impose a processing cost when paired with gendered antecedents.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1828657</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1828657</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Metaphorical construction of the belt and road initiative in German media: a transnational study based on critical metaphor analysis]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-23T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Haiying Qiu</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionMedia representations of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) play a significant role in shaping public understanding of China’s flagship transnational initiative. Despite growing scholarly interest in BRI discourse, the metaphorical mechanisms underlying German media coverage remain underexplored.MethodsDrawing on Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) as its theoretical foundation and employing Critical Metaphor Analysis (CMA) as its analytical approach, this study adopts a corpus-based mixed-methods design to analyze 1,247 articles totaling 856,432 words from four major German mainstream media outlets spanning 2013 to 2024.ResultsThe analysis identifies 2,847 metaphorical expressions across five dominant conceptual frames: JOURNEY (31.3%), WAR (24.0%), BUILDING (18.3%), ORGANISM (15.4%), and GAME (11.0%). Temporal analysis reveals a marked shift toward confrontational framing, with WAR metaphors increasing from 18.6% to 31.2% over the observation period. Cross-national comparison positions German media between Anglo-American confrontational discourse and Chinese cooperative narratives.DiscussionThe findings demonstrate that metaphorical framing operates as a cognitively structured and ideologically consequential mechanism in transnational political communication, with systematic variation across political orientations and temporal phases reflecting broader shifts in Sino-German geopolitical relations.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1819659</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1819659</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Human or machine? Do source beliefs shape cognitive bias in post-editing?]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-22T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Jing Cao</author><author>Tianli Zhou</author>
        <description><![CDATA[As artificial intelligence (AI) translation becomes increasingly integrated into professional and educational contexts, perceptions of “machine vs. human” translation may shape translators’ cognitive and evaluative and post-editing behaviors. This study investigates the role of cognitive bias in post-editing, examining how translators’ beliefs about translation sources—human or AI—trigger systematic deviations in evaluation and revision behavior. Sixty master students in Translation and Interpreting participated in a between-subjects experiment: the experimental group received mislabeled texts (human translations labeled as AI, AI translations labeled as human), while the control group was informed of the true sources. Participants evaluated two English-to-Chinese translations on fidelity, fluency, and completeness (5-point Likert scales) and performed post-editing, with modifications recorded for type and rationale. Quantitative analyses (revision counts, quality ratings) and qualitative reflections were examined to explore how cognitive preconceptions modulate linguistic judgment and editing behavior. Findings indicate that perceived AI labels elicited lower trust, increased post-editing intensity, heightened error sensitivity, and more conservative quality ratings, even when translation quality was equivalent. This reveals a subtle form of language-related cognitive bias, in which perceived source identity, rather than objective quality, drives evaluation and modification decisions. By bridging translation studies and cognitive psychology, the study provides empirical insight into human–AI interaction and offers pedagogical implications for fostering critical post-editing literacy and inclusive attitudes toward AI-mediated communication.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1774952</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1774952</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Cross-linguistic effects of pre-reading prediction, cue encoding, and retrieval interval on metacomprehension monitoring accuracy]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-21T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Fei Xu</author><author>Yin Guo</author><author>Mingju Yang</author><author>Jinxiu Chen</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Recent studies show self-explanation and predictive inference strategies can improve metacomprehension monitoring, but the roles of pre-reading prediction and cross-linguistic transfer remain under-examined. This study used a 2 (language type: Chinese vs. English) × 2 (predictive condition: predictive vs. non-predictive) × 2 (interval type: interval vs. no-interval) × 2 (language proficiency: Chinese vs. English scores) mixed design, with immediate judgments and segmented delayed measures, to test effects of pre-reading prediction and encoding-retrieval interval and their transfer across languages. Key findings of the current research include (1) no-interval conditions yielded higher monitoring accuracy than interval conditions; (2) the pre-reading prediction condition yielded lower monitoring accuracy for expository texts, likely due to limited prior knowledge and the specific demands of the pre-reading task; (3) L1 (Chinese) metacomprehension was transferred to L2 (English) contexts, while foreign-language proficiency did not mediate transfer. These results clarify how encoding-retrieval intervals affect metacomprehension accuracy in reading in Chinese, delimit the conditions under which pre-reading prediction may be counterproductive, and provide empirical evidence for cross-linguistic transfer of metacomprehension processes in bilingual settings. Empirically, the findings suggest that pre-reading prediction training should be tailored to text genre and readers’ background knowledge, and that strengthening L1 metacognitive skills can facilitate L2 reading.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1719015</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1719015</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Ultimate attainment in L2 semantics: Where and why do learners fail to achieve native-like knowledge of verb meaning?]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-16T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Zhao Akiko Zhao</author><author>Yasuhiro Shirai</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This study investigates the development of L2 lexical semantics in advanced Chinese learners of Japanese, focusing on the role of length of residence (LOR). Differences in semantic domains between learners’ first language (L1) and second language (L2) often hinder accurate word meaning acquisition. Cross-linguistic differences between L1 and L2 are particularly evident in verb–noun collocations, which pose persistent challenges even for advanced learners. Sixty-six Chinese learners of Japanese with varied lengths of residency and 32 native Japanese speakers (NSs) participated in an acceptability judgment task involving the following three types of collocations: (1) L1-only collocations (e.g., *eakon-o akeru ‘open the air conditioning’), which are valid in Chinese but not in Japanese; (2) L2-only collocations (e.g., eakon-o tsukeru ‘turn on the air conditioning’), which are valid only in Japanese; and (3) L1-L2 collocations (e.g., doa-o akeru ‘open the door’), which are valid in both languages. The results revealed that while NSs as a group rated L1-only collocations as unacceptable and L2-only collocations as acceptable, medium-LOR learners (3–7 years of residence) showed non-target-like patterns across the three collocation types. Long-LOR learners (more than 10 years) exhibited native-like judgments for L2-only collocations but continued to differ from NSs in their acceptance of L1-only collocations. Overall, these findings suggest that extended residence facilitates partial lexical-semantic integration in L2 achieved via positive evidence in the input, while persistent L1-mediated representations may constrain ultimate attainment in lexical-semantic development, which may persist due to a lack of negative evidence.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1798654</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1798654</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Prosodic hierarchy and the encoding of modality: a study of L2 French statements and commands by Mandarin learners]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-14T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Xintong Chu</author><author>Pierre Larrivée</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The interface between lexical tone and phrase-level intonation constitutes a complex functional interface constraint in Second Language Acquisition (SLA). This study investigates the acquisition of French prosody by Mandarin learners (n = 35) at two proficiency levels compared to a native baseline (n = 8), identifying a developmental dissociation between structural and pragmatic functions. Utilizing Linear Mixed-Effects Models (LMM), we analyzed four acoustic parameters—Global Pitch Span, Final Pitch Span, Final Expansion, and Final Lengthening—across a factorial design crossing modality (Statement vs. Command) and utterance length. The results reveal a bifurcated acquisition trajectory: while intermediate learners demonstrate convergence toward native-like macro-prosodic framing (successfully expanding global pitch envelopes for structural demarcation), they reach a persistent plateau in micro-prosodic pragmatic encoding. Specifically, learners failed to implement the sharp nuclear reshaping and pitch intensification required to signal directive force, resulting in a systematic “prosodic merging” of modalities. Based on these findings, we propose the Modality-Prosody Acquisition Hierarchy (MPAH), which posits that the automation of a stable structural frame (Tier 2) serves as a functional prerequisite for the high-resolution modulation of illocutionary intent (Tier 3). These findings refine the Prosodic Transfer Hypothesis by isolating the selective processing constraints at the tone-to-intonation transition and offer a tiered roadmap for pedagogical intervention.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1774505</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1774505</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The body in language, the language beyond the body: embrainment and graded embodiment in the evolution and use of language]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-10T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Michael A. Arbib</author><author>Valentina Cuccio</author>
        <description><![CDATA[We reject the notion that the assertion “language is embodied” has a yes/no answer and instead introduce an account of a gradient of embodiment that ranges from “strict embodiment” restricted to elements of language describing humans engaged in practical bodily interaction to fully abstract concepts. We show how concepts may blend strict embodiment and abstraction, and demonstrate that strictly embodied knowledge may ground linguistic meaning phylogenetically and ontogenetically. Much adult language use resides “high” in a tower of abstraction. However, movement away from strict embodiment need not imply movement only up the tower of abstraction. Embodied simulation combined with metaphor provides one mechanism for linking abstraction to embodiment. An account of biocultural evolution shows how changes primarily in brain structure (embrainment) made possible the linkage of practical action to pantomime in grounding protolanguages and how cultural evolution built on this to create a symbolic and physical environment that depends on the availability of grammar to create metaphors and new abstractions. Critiquing the claim that large language models mirror the human brain’s language system we show how human embrainment links disembodied processing to processes that are strictly embodied.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1773756</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1773756</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The effect of EFL learners’ identity on English speaking proficiency and autonomous learning skills among university students: the mediating role of speaking anxiety]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-10T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Yeqing Tao</author><author>Mengyun Xiao</author><author>Samah Ali Mohsen Mofreh</author><author>Sultan Salem</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionAs a Foreign Language (EFL) learner identity constitutes a pivotal sociopsychological factor in higher education; however, empirical research on how learner identity relates to speaking proficiency (SP) and autonomous learning skills (ALS) remains limited, particularly regarding the affective mechanism through speaking anxiety (SA).MethodsDrawing on Identity Theory and the Affective Filter Hypothesis, the present study examined the effect of EFL learner identity, modeled as a second order latent construct indicated by identity belongingness (IDB) and identity expectations (IDE), on SP and ALS among 392 Chinese non-English major sophomores, and tested speaking anxiety (SA) as a mediator using structural equation modeling (SEM).ResultsThe results showed that overall learner identity significantly predicted both SP and ALS, and that SA served as a meaningful affective pathway, accounting for approximately 36% of the total effects on learning outcomes.DiscussionThese findings highlight the importance of fostering an identity-supportive learning environment that reduces the “affective filter” and strengthens university students’ oral communication and learner autonomy in EFL contexts.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1827630</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1827630</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: Discourse, conversation and argumentation: theoretical perspectives and innovative empirical studies, volume IV]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-08T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>Antonio Bova</author><author>Francesco Arcidiacono</author><author>Carlo Galimberti</author><author>Lise Haddouk</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1799996</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1799996</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Reporting verbs across genre sets and research paradigms: a corpus-based analysis of denotation and evaluation in applied linguistics research articles]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-02T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Liming Deng</author><author>Xinyue Li</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionReporting verbs are a central linguistic resource that enable writers to represent prior research while negotiating authorial stance with professional community members. While previous studies have documented variation in reporting verb use from various perspectives, less attention has been paid to how its use is shaped by genre sets and research paradigms.MethodsDrawing on a corpus of 160 research articles in Applied Linguistics, this study investigates the use of reporting verbs across genre sets (pre-methods sections vs. post-methods sections) and research paradigms (quantitative vs. qualitative), with special attention given to their denotations and evaluations.ResultsIt is shown that the use of reporting verbs varies across genre sets and research paradigms: pre-methods sections favor verbs denoting research acts and containing neutral evaluation, post-methods sections rely more on discourse-oriented verbs and exhibit a shift toward positive evaluation; quantitative articles tend to employ more research-oriented and neutrally evaluative verbs, while qualitative articles draw more on discourse- and cognition-oriented verbs and adopt more positive evaluative stances.DiscussionThese patterns can be attributed to the combined influence of rhetorical conventions, epistemological orientations, and knowledge-making practices in academic discourse construction. The findings provide pedagogical implications for EAP practitioners in developing novice writers’ awareness of part-genres and research paradigms in their reporting practice when approaching academic writing.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1746921</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1746921</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Non-tonal L2 proficiency facilitates the perception of tone and pitch contrasts in a tonal L1: evidence from Mandarin–English bilinguals]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-01T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Rong Zhao</author><author>Mengjiao Li</author><author>Honghao Ren</author><author>Hang Wei</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This study investigated how proficiency in a non-tonal L2 influences the perception of tone-related information in a tonal L1 among Mandarin–English bilinguals who are dominant in Mandarin. In Experiment 1, 65 participants with varying L2 proficiency completed a Mandarin tone perception task involving acoustically similar (T2-T3) and dissimilar (T1-T3 and T2-T4) tone pairs. In Experiment 2, the participants judged pitch height changes in T1, T2, T3, and T4. Results showed that bilinguals with higher L2 proficiency were more sensitive to the T2-T4 contrast and pitch height variations in T1, T2, and T3 than those with lower L2 proficiency. These findings suggest that increased proficiency in a non-tonal L2 selectively and positively influences the perception of tone pairs and pitch contrasts in a tonal L1, and that the effect may occur for the phonological/acoustic features common to English and Mandarin, extending the multi-competence theory to tone-related processing in bilinguals.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1741902</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1741902</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Freud and collocation: a psychodynamic interpretation of ‘make’ and ‘do’ in English]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-01T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Rasheed Al-Jarrah</author><author>Muath Algazo</author><author>Musa Alzghoul</author><author>Bilal Alsharif</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This study explores the relationship between everyday English verb choice and Freud’s structural theory of personality. Using a qualitative conceptual analysis, the research examines approximately 100 collocational expressions involving the verbs ‘make’ and ‘do’, drawn from major learner dictionaries and the British National Corpus (BNC). Expressions were selected based on frequency, stability, and relative context-independence. The data were classified according to semantic orientation and interpreted through Freud’s id–ego–superego framework to investigate whether patterns of verb choice reflect underlying psychological structures. The findings suggest that ‘make’ tends to align with instinctive or desire-driven actions, whereas ‘do’ is associated with regulatory and task-oriented behavior. The study argues that linguistic collocation may encode traces of psychodynamic organization and offers theoretical implications for language teaching and translation, while acknowledging that these applications require future empirical validation.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1778678</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1778678</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Inhibitory reversal of morpheme-mediated semantic priming in L2 Chinese: embodiment conflicts in conventional action metaphor processing]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-31T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Qianqian Lei</author><author>Jianqin Wang</author><author>Xingang Yang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Semantic priming typically facilitates lexical access; however, this facilitation may reverse into inhibition under certain interferences, such as embodied conflicts in Second Language (L2) processing. For adult L2 learners, automatic literal sensorimotor simulations may disrupt metaphorical integration, potentially inducing inhibitory reversal in conventional action metaphors [e.g., Chinese “吃亏 “(chī kuī, literally “eat loss,” figuratively “suffer the loss”)]—a key gap in bilingual cognition. This study examines this reversal in L2 Chinese metaphor processing versus L1. Forty-three Vietnamese-speaking L2 learners of Chinese (HSK 5–6) and forty-seven first-language (L1) Chinese speakers completed a delayed-response semantic plausibility judgment task with morpheme-mediated semantic priming. Targets—literal, conventional metaphorical, and unrelated verb-object (VO) constructions—were each preceded by their identical verb morpheme (e.g., “吃” primes “吃亏”). Mixed-effects models revealed an opposite directional reversal in L2 learners: facilitation in literal versus unrelated baseline (shorter reaction times [RTs]; reduced errors) but inhibition in metaphorical versus unrelated baseline (elevated errors; nonsignificant RTs). In contrast to L2’s reversal pattern, L1 Chinese speakers exhibited uniform dual inhibition across literal and metaphorical conditions (elevated errors; nonsignificant RTs), with a significant Group × Condition interaction. This study reveals an L2-specific reversal of priming in action metaphors (literal facilitation vs. metaphorical inhibition, primarily evident in error rates), originating from a dynamic mismatch between embodied simulations and semantic integration, a process potentially involving increased inhibitory control demands, while remaining consistent with broader processing costs at the behavioral level. These findings offer insights into the double-edged role of L2 embodiment in language processing -- helping Literal while hurting Metaphorical, providing implications for theories of embodied cognition and bilingualism and also informing practical pedagogy in L2 acquisition.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1774523</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1774523</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Grammatical metaphor studies: historical review and outlook]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-27T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Yanchun Yu</author><author>Tianhua Wang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Grammatical metaphor, a significant theoretical innovation within Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), extends meaning realization from the lexical to the grammatical stratum, providing a powerful framework for analyzing abstraction and technicality in academic and scientific discourse. Adopting a methodology of combining systematic retrieval with thematic analysis, this article reviews 293 primary studies on grammatical metaphor within SFL since Halliday initial proposal. We first trace Halliday’s three-stage theoretical development of grammatical metaphor. Subsequently, our thematic synthesis reveals predominant sub-themes within two major streams: theoretical development (encompassing semantic and characteristic discussion, interdisciplinary dialogues with Cognitive Linguistics and educational sociology, and typological debates) and practical application (covering language teaching, textual analysis, and translation studies). Based on the synthesis, we propose four key directions for future research: expanding the linguistic scope, broadening the population of second language learners, establishing identification criteria for grammatical metaphor in non-English languages, and delineating demetaphorization. The findings of this review offer valuable theoretical references for linguists seeking to refine grammatical metaphor theory, as well as practical guidance for language teachers and curriculum developers aiming to foster learners’ academic literacy. Moreover, the proposed future directions are intended to inspire researchers to explore cross-linguistic and interdisciplinary dimensions, ultimately facilitating a more inclusive and methodologically robust field of grammatical metaphor studies.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1745034</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1745034</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Neuropragmatics: from classical pragmatics to neurocognitive models of pragmatics in dialogue]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-17T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Angélica Gutiérrez Cisneros</author><author>Alice Foucart</author><author>Angèle Brunellière</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Over the past 30 years, there has been significant development in the understanding of the brain mechanisms underlying pragmatic processing. The primary purpose of the present review is to delve into the origins of neuropragmatics, defined as the study of the neural basis of pragmatic processing, tracing its development from the foundations of traditional pragmatics. Moreover, this review aims to deepen the understanding of the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying pragmatic processing. Throughout this review, the topic of neuropragmatics is addressed through diverse theoretical frameworks modeling how the pragmatic information is treated. Then, the neural substrates and neurophysiological correlates of pragmatic processing are outlined, with particular interest in the study of speech acts which emerged more recently at the brain level. Lastly, we discuss promising directions to address the questions that remain unresolved in the field of neuropragmatics, which have huge impacts on methodological and societal aspects.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1740877</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1740877</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Development of word and syllable structure in Chilean children with typical and protracted phonological development]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-16T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Brief Research Report</category>
        <author>Patricio Vergara</author><author>Jorge Parada</author><author>Yvan Rose</author><author>Eliseo Diez-Itza</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The acquisition of syllable structure constitutes a core component of phonological development in early childhood and enables the differentiation of typical and protracted trajectories in Spanish. However, evidence regarding how structural factors (i.e., syllable structure complexity, word length, and within-word position) modulate phonological accuracy remains limited for Chilean Spanish. To address this gap, performance on syllable structure production by children with typical development (TD) was compared with that by children with protracted phonological development (PPD) using the Word Shape Match (WSM) metric. Participants were 160 children aged 3;0–6;11 years, evenly distributed by age and developmental group. Each child completed a Spanish naming task comprising 100 words. Productions were phonetically transcribed and analyzed with Phon 3.1. Results revealed significant differences in WSM scores between TD and PPD across all age ranges, with consistently higher accuracy in the TD group. Independent logistic regression models were applied for each group, with age, word length, syllable type, and syllable position entered as predictors. In both groups, age, word length, and syllable structure complexity emerged as significant predictors; however, in PPD, syllable position also had a significant effect, with higher accuracy in later (medial and final) syllables. WSM thus proved to be a clinically sensitive indicator for distinguishing phonological trajectories, underscoring the importance of integrating suprasegmental measures into the assessment of children’s speech.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1732609</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1732609</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Relative-to-human benchmark Cognitive Divergence and semantic comprehensibility in Chinese–Uyghur LLM translation]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-16T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Jiaxin Zuo</author><author>Yiquan Wang</author><author>Xiadiya Yibulayin</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This study examines whether Large Language Models (LLMs) generate Chinese-to-Uyghur translations with syntactic patterns consistent with cognitive efficiency–motivated expectations. We compare translations produced by six mainstream LLMs with a benchmark generated by human experts and used for structural comparison. Syntactic complexity is quantified using Mean Dependency Distance (MDD), and we introduce a relative metric, Cognitive Divergence, as a structural proxy to capture sentence-level deviation from the human benchmark. Semantic comprehensibility is evaluated using COMET scores. The results indicate that LLM-generated texts show no statistically significant difference from the human benchmark in terms of macroscopic syntactic complexity, suggesting a form of surface-level syntactic similarity. However, absolute syntactic complexity alone does not exhibit a reliable association with semantic comprehensibility. In contrast, Cognitive Divergence shows a strong negative association with comprehensibility at the model level (r = −0.908, p = 0.012) and for most models at the sentence level. These findings suggest that relative alignment with human syntactic patterns may offer a useful explanatory perspective for understanding variation in the comprehensibility of LLM-generated translations, complementing existing evaluation approaches based on absolute complexity.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1768026</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1768026</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The power of perception: how perceived language policy shapes intergenerational cultural transmission intent]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-12T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Wenjing Wang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionAmidst global challenges to linguistic diversity, the intergenerational transmission of local languages is critical for cultural preservation. While public enthusiasm is high, it is unclear how this translates into transmission intention, particularly how macro-level policies shape individual psychology. Existing research often lacks an integrated framework. To address this gap, this study proposes and tests an integrated social-ecological-cognitive model, hypothesizing that perceived language policy, as a macrosystem factor, is the most critical predictor of intergenerational language transmission intention.MethodsAn online survey was conducted across China, yielding 390 valid responses via snowball sampling. The questionnaire measured transmission intention, attitudes, social norms, community engagement, and perceived language policy. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and multiple linear regression.ResultsThe results indicated that the ecological model explained 52.9% of the variance in transmission intention, with all dimensions being significant predictors. Notably, perceived language policy emerged as the predictor with the largest standardized coefficient (β = 0.266, p < 0.001). Additionally, language proficiency was found to be foundational for positive attitudes (p < 0.001).DiscussionIn conclusion, intergenerational language transmission intention is shaped by a multi-level ecological system. The public's subjective perception of macro-level institutional support is a primary psychological correlate. For cultural preservation, policies must be made visible and tangible.]]></description>
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