Relationship between L1 and L2 reading

The relationship between L1 and L2 reading has been investigated drawing on two hypotheses.

First, the linguistic interdependence hypothesis, which claims that L1 reading ability transfers to L2 reading, i.e., there is always a relationship, hypothetically a correlational one, between L1 and L2 reading. And second, the linguistic threshold hypothesis, which claims that L1 reading ability transfers to L2 reading when learners' L2 proficiency is higher than the linguistic threshold, i.e., some basic linguistic ability is a prerequisite for the transfer to happen. Researchers, in general, have attempted to find out which hypothesis better explains the relationship between reading in one language and in another.

Two aspects of reading have been examined using this paradigm: the product of reading and the process of reading. The product of reading refers to the level of understanding, which is considered to be achieved by one's reading ability. It is measured by certain kinds of reading comprehension tests, and researchers have examined the relationships between reading abilities in L1 and L2 by using test scores as their data. The process of reading refers to various strategies that readers use. Researchers utilized self-report data obtained by such methods as conducting interviews, thinking aloud, or distributing questionnaires in order to examine internal processes of reading. Results of these studies have generally supported the linguistic threshold hypothesis, and the importance of acquiring some basic level of L2 proficiency for L2 readers in order to read as well as they do in their L1 has been stressed.

The present study focuses on the affective domain, unlike the previous studies focusing on the cognitive domain (either the product or the process of reading). However, the importance of L2 proficiency is taken into consideration, and whether the linguistic threshold hypothesis applies to the affective domain of reading is examined.