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Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Science

ISSN Online: 2576-0548 ISSN Print: 2576-0556 CODEN: JHASAY
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ArticleOpen Access http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2026.03.014

A Review of the Impact of First Language on the Acquisition and Processing of Second Language Collocations

Xiaomeng Liu

Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266061, Shandong, China.

*Corresponding author: Xiaomeng Liu

Published: March 31,2026

Abstract

This study reviews the research progress on the influence of the first language on the acquisition and processing of second language collocations at home and abroad from 2000 to 2026. To clarify the processing mechanism of second language collocations, researchers must understand key mechanisms in the mental lexicon of learners. Therefore, it is crucial to study the influence of L1 transfer on the acquisition of L2 collocations. The paper systematically summarizes the em-pirical evidence and theoretical explanations of L1 transfer, including positive, negative, and null transfer. At the same time, it further explores the key factors that moderate the transfer effect, including second language proficiency, input frequency, and collocation type, and indicates that there are complex interactions between these factors and congruency. Although previous research has achieved fruitful results, there are still limitations. Future research should adopt diachronic studies, improve the ecological validity, deepen the exploration of multi-factor interactions, paying attention to individual differences of learners, and broaden research on different languages and different modalities of materials.

Keywords

L2 collocations; L1 transfer; congruency effects

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How to cite this paper

A Review of the Impact of First Language on the Acquisition and Processing of Second Language Collocations

How to cite this paper: Xiaomeng Liu. (2026) A Review of the Impact of First Language on the Acquisition and Processing of Second Language Collocations. Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Science10(3), 326-330.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2026.03.014