ABSTRACT
Frequency of exposure and cross-language overlap are two of the main factors implicated in single-word and multiword processing. In terms of frequency, there is clear evidence that experience with language plays an important role in the entrenchment and processing of single-word and multiword items. There is faster recognition and processing for more frequent single-word and multiword items in the L1 and for single-word items in the L2. Evidence of a frequency advantage for multiword items in the L2 is mixed. In addition to reduced exposure, a consequence of speaking two languages is that knowledge of one language can influence the processing of the other. Single-word and multiword items from a speaker’s two languages can be activated simultaneously. This simultaneous activation influences processing and is most evident where there are instances of cross-language overlap (i.e., cognates and homographs). Non-native speakers will have a range of single-word and multiword items in the L1 and L2 that overlap in a variety of ways in terms of their form (phonology and/or orthography) and meaning. This overlap influences the processing of single-word and multiword items and is mediated by a range of factors.
