Dialect-specific modes influence L2 production: Evidence from bidialectal Shanghai-Mandarin Chinese learners of English within the L2LP Model

The present study investigates the impact of bidialectalism on L2 production, focusing on the role of dialect modes. Bidialectal Shanghai-Mandarin Chinese speakers were enlisted to produce L2 English vowels, under the influence of either Shanghai or Mandarin Chinese mode. Results showed that under the Shanghai mode, participants’ English vowel production closely resembled that of native English speakers. Notably, Shanghai Chinese significantly influenced English vowel production in the Shanghai mode, while Mandarin Chinese had a stronger impact on English vowel production in the Mandarin mode. This highlights that each L1 dialect significantly influences L2 English vowel production based on the activated dialect mode. The present study reveals that bidialectal speakers have differential L2 production performance depending on the L1 dialect mode they activate. These results are interpreted within the framework of the Second Language Linguistic Perception (L2LP) model, contributing to the theoretical understanding of how L1 dialect modes influence L2 acquisition.