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Abstract:
The main research question of this thesis was to test if native-like ERP patterns in response to specific processing difficulties would emerge in postpubescent L2 learners at a stage of very high proficiency. In most precious ERP studies on L2 processing ERP components related to syntactic processes were found to be different in L2 as compared to L1, suggesting maturational constraints on the development of syntactic functions. Recently, ERP studies in the domain of L2 and artificial grammar processing suggested that high proficiency might be a more important prerequisite for the development of native-like ERP patterns in the course of second language learning than age of acquisition (AoA). The studies of this thesis were aimed to bridge the field of natural language and artificial grammar studies using a miniature language paradigm. Language processing mechanisms were studied in the model of a miniature language termed Mini-Nihongo, which was a subset of real Japanese. The use of a very downscaled language was hypothesized to enable the development of native-like ERP paterns in initially naive adult German participants. Syntactic and thematic processing mechanisms were targeted by means of a violation paradigm. Mini-Nihongo was constructed to create word category potentially difficult to acquire.
