Which term refers to the limitations on processing information in a second language compared to one's first language?

Which term refers to the limitations on processing information in a second language compared to one's first language?

• A. Cognitive deficit
• B. Metalanguage
• C. Parsing
• D. Tautology

Answer: (A)

When someone uses a second language, they often show reduced automaticity and require more cognitive resources than in their first language. This extra demand makes processing slower and more effortful, marking limitations in how efficiently information is handled in the second language. That’s why cognitive deficit is the best fit here—it describes the diminished processing capacity in L2 relative to L1. Metalanguage is about talking about language itself, not processing demands; parsing is the act of analyzing sentence structure during processing; tautology is a repetitive or redundant statement.

When someone uses a second language, they often show reduced automaticity and require more cognitive resources than in their first language. This extra demand makes processing slower and more effortful, marking limitations in how efficiently information is handled in the second language. That’s why cognitive deficit is the best fit here—it describes the diminished processing capacity in L2 relative to L1. Metalanguage is about talking about language itself, not processing demands; parsing is the act of analyzing sentence structure during processing; tautology is a repetitive or redundant statement.