L2 English Speakers’ Ability to Process Novel Denominal Verbs: The Role of Proficiency and Language Experience

As if learning a second language (L2) was not challenging enough, languages continue to innovate and introduce new words. One source of lexical innovation can be the use of existing nouns as novel verbs (e.g., ‘to porch the newspaper’), which are termed denominal verbs. In a psycholinguistic study, we investigate whether L2 English speakers (N = 41) show lower acceptability judgments and higher processing effort when reading such novel denominal verbs, and whether this is influenced by their L2 proficiency or the diversity of their language experience. The results suggest that the L2 speakers are sensitive to the novel verbs, showing both reading time and judgment effects. No effects of language experience were attested, but the more proficient the speakers were, the more sensitivity they showed to the novel verbs in their judgments. This suggests that even relatively proficient L2 English speakers are still developing their flexible use of the L2, particularly when it comes to lexical innovation.