Eye-tracking in the study of L2 phraseology: a state-of-the-art review of the method and findings

This study describes why eye tracking techniques are particularly suited for the investigation of phraseology in second language learning. Eye-tracking has long been used in the investigation of language processing at the word and sentence level. However, it appears that only three studies have employed this methodology in the context of phraseological processing: 1) Underwood, Schmitt and Galpin (2004); 2) Tremblay and Baayen (2010); 3) Siyanova-Chanturia, Conklin, and Schmitt (2011). At the very least, these three studies have demonstrated that phraseological units are processed differently from novel strings of language: phraseological units tend to be processed faster than other matched control units. In this paper, we analyse the findings of these three studies. A particular emphasis is placed on the unique role of the eye tracking method in tapping into the underlying mechanisms involved in phraseological processing. The final goal is to demonstrate that because of its ability to detect skippings and regressions, availability of early and late processing measures, as well as naturalistic mode of stimuli presentation, the eye-tracking paradigm can be particularly useful in the study of phraseological units. References  Siyanova-Chanturia, A., Conklin, K., & Schmitt, N. (2011). Adding more fuel to the fire: An eye-tracking study of idiom processing by native and nonnative speakers. Second Language Research, 27, 251–272. Tremblay, A., & Baayen, R. H. (2010). Holistic processing of regular four-word sequences: A be- havioral and ERP study of the effects of structure, frequency, and probability on immediate free recall. In D. Wood (Ed.), Perspectives on formulaic language: Acquisition and communication (pp. 151–173). London, UK: The Continuum International Publishing Group. Underwood, G., Schmitt, N., & Galpin, A. (2004). The eyes have it: An eye-movement study into the processing of formulaic sequences. In N. Schmitt (Ed.), Formulaic sequences (pp. 153–172). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.