Supporting data for: Typicality effects in Spanish as a Foreign Language of intermediate and advanced level Greek learners

[Dataset abstract] Data set containing the general responses, general availability indexes and the typicality indexes for the lexical availability tests of intermediate, and advanced Greek learners of Spanish and of Spanish native counterparts.
[Article abstract] Categorization and identification of typical exemplars within semantic categories is a universal skill of human cognition which is involved in language development. However, cultural and experiential aspects might influence typicality effects. This paper examines the role of native language and culture on that categorization process and on typicality effects. Towards that objective, we had Spanish native speakers and Spanish FL learners whose mother tongue is Greek complete a category generation word association task. Data were analyzed within a network and graph theory framework as the best fitting for this type of data, bearing in mind previous descriptions of semantic memory. Results showed how, indeed, native speakers and learners of varying proficiency levels differ in their availability and production of typical exemplars, especially in slot-filler categories versus taxonomic categories. Lexical access during category generation might be determined by native language and culture. Additionally, natives’ mental lexicon seems to feature denser connections responsible for more efficient access.

[数据集摘要] 本数据集涵盖针对中级、高级希腊语母语背景西班牙语学习者，以及西班牙语母语者的词汇可及性测试（lexical availability tests）的通用作答结果、通用可及性指数（general availability indexes）与典型性指数（typicality indexes）。
[论文摘要] 语义范畴（semantic categories）内典型样例（typical exemplars）的分类与识别是人类认知（human cognition）的通用能力，该能力与语言发展（language development）密切相关。然而，文化与经验层面的因素可能会对典型性效应（typicality effects）产生影响。本文围绕母语与文化在该分类过程及典型性效应中发挥的作用展开研究。为达成此研究目标，我们邀请西班牙语母语者，以及以希腊语为母语的西班牙语外语学习者，完成一项范畴生成型词语联想任务（category generation word association task）。结合此前对语义记忆（semantic memory）的相关研究结论，我们采用最适配此类数据的网络与图论框架（network and graph theory framework）对数据进行分析。研究结果表明，不同熟练度水平（proficiency levels）的母语者与学习者，在典型样例的可及性与产出上确实存在差异，尤其在填位范畴（slot-filler categories）与分类学范畴（taxonomic categories）的对比中这一差异更为显著。范畴生成过程中的词汇通达（lexical access）可能受母语与文化因素调控。此外，母语者的心理词典（mental lexicon）似乎拥有更紧密的连接结构，这使得词汇通达效率更高。