We investigated the predictive processing of grammatical number information through stem-vowel alternations in German strong verbs by adult first language (L1) speakers and Dutch-speaking advanced second language (L2) learners of German, and the influence of working memory and awareness (i.e., whether participants consciously registered the predictive cue) thereon. While changed stem vowels indicate a singular referent (e.g., /ε/ in fällt3SG, “falls”), unchanged vowels indicate plural (e.g., /a/ in fallt2PL, “fall”). This target structure presents a challenge for L2 learners of German due to its subregularity and low salience. With their eye movements being tracked, participants matched German auditory sentences (VSO order) with one of two pictures, displaying identical action scenes but varying in agent number. The number cue provided by the strong verbs allowed participants to predict whether the upcoming subject would be singular or plural. The analyses revealed significant prediction, measured as predictive eye movements toward the target picture and faster button-press responses. Prediction in the L2 group was weaker than in the L1 group and present in the eye movement data only. Higher working memory scores were linked to faster predictive presses. Approximately half of the participants had become aware of the predictive cue, and being aware facilitated prediction to a limited extent.

我们研究了成人第一语言 (L1) 使用者和荷兰语高级第二语言 (L2) 德语学习者通过德语强动词的干元音交替对语法数字信息的预测处理，以及工作记忆和意识的影响（即，参与者是否有意识地记录了预测提示）。变化的词干元音表示单数所指对象（例如， f ä llt 3SG中的/ε/ ，“falls”），而未变化的元音表示复数（例如，f a llt 2PL中的/a/）， “落下”）。由于其不规律性和低显着性，该目标结构对德语二语学习者提出了挑战。通过跟踪参与者的眼球运动，参与者将德语听觉句子（VSO 顺序）与两张图片中的一张进行匹配，显示相同的动作场景，但特工编号不同。强动词提供的数字提示允许参与者预测即将到来的主题是单数还是复数。分析揭示了重要的预测，通过对目标图片的预测性眼球运动和更快的按钮按下反应进行测量。L2 组的预测弱于 L1 组，并且仅存在于眼动数据中。较高的工作记忆分数与较快的预测压力有关。大约一半的参与者已经意识到了预测线索，