Tongue Movement During Auditory Linguistic Perception in Bilingual Tagalog English Speakers

Date of Submission

Spring 2025

Document Type

Closed Research Project

Degree Name

Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology

Department

Speech-Language Pathology

First Advisor

Beatriz Barragan, PhD

Abstract

This study investigates the role of the motor system in bilingual language processing, specifically focusing on tongue movement during auditory word recognition tasks. Using a bilingual Tagalong English word-to-picture matching task, we examined the effects of restricting tongue muscle movement on word recognition reaction time (RT) and accuracy in both their native language (L1) and second language (L2). Forty participants completed the task under two conditions: an experimental condition with the restriction of the tongue movement and a control condition where hand muscle activation was restricted. Results revealed that during the hand restriction, performance was minimally affected, with faster RTs and increased accuracy compared to when tongue movement was restricted, and slightly better performance in L1 than L2 in both conditions. In contrast, restricting tongue movement led to significantly slower RTs and reduced accuracy, particularly in L2. These findings suggest that the motor system plays a crucial role in language processing, especially in L2. The results support the sensorimotor integration theory, highlighting that bilingual language processing relies on both sensory and motor interactions. This research contributes to the understanding of bilingual language processing and has potential clinical applications, particularly for individuals with motor conditions.

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