A Review of the Influencing Factors in Second Language English Syntactic Priming
Abstract
Syntactic priming refers to the cognitive phenomenon in which individuals unconsciously reuse previously encountered syntactic structures during language processing. It holds significant research value for uncovering the mechanisms of second language acquisition and optimizing output-driven teaching. Drawing on 13 Chinese academic articles published between 2009 and 2023 in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), this paper systematically reviews three major experimental paradigms in syntactic priming research and summarizes the key factors influencing syntactic priming effects among Chinese learners of English. These factors are examined from three dimensions: linguistic factors, learner factors, and experimental factors. The findings indicate that linguistic factors include the number of thematic roles, verb consistency, and syntactic features; learner factors involve language proficiency and working memory capacity; and experimental factors encompass task intensity and the recency effect. This study provides theoretical insights into the mechanisms of syntactic priming in second language learners and the design of related experiments, while also offering practical guidance for optimizing teaching strategies in English as a second language instruction.
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