本研究考察了获得年龄较晚的熟练汉-英第二语言学习者在加工汉语和英语中，主谓语之间数量关系时，表现的ERP（事件相关电位）反应。本研究通过两个研究，旨在探讨母语经验对第二语言加工的影响。研究一考察了18位获得年龄较晚的熟练汉-英第二语言学习者在加工母语汉语中的主谓数量关系（复指动词）时所表现的脑电模式。研究二考察了该组汉-英第二语言学习者和15位英语母语者在阅读符合/违反主谓一致性句法结构的英语语句时，脑电波变化情况。研究结果表明：1、汉语母语者在加工汉语中的主谓语之间数量关系时，在脑电上表现出明显的和语义加工相关的N400效应，表明他们通过语义加工方式处理汉语的主谓数量关系；2、汉语母语者在加工第二语言英语中的主谓一致性时，在行为正确率上能够表现出对主谓一致性信息的敏感。在脑电上也表现出明显的N400效应，而没有发现和句法加工相关的ERP成分，例如LAN和P600；3、英语母语者在加工英语中的主谓一致性时，在脑电上表现出明显的和句法加工相关的P600成分，以及不太典型的LAN；4、通过比较三组数据的原始波幅和差异波幅可以发现，汉语母语者加工第二语言的主谓数量关系的脑电模式更为接近其加工母语的主谓数量关系的模式，而和英语母语者的加工方式全然不同。这一结果说明了，汉语第二语言学习者对第二语言的认知加工及相关神经机制都受到了母语经验的制约影响。

The present study is aimed to examine the ERP (event-related-potential) responses in the processing of number information between subject and verb by late Chinese L2 learners of English, both in their L1 (Chinese) and L2 (English). Eighteen proficient L2 learners participated in Experiment 1, and were required to read Chinese sentences with/without number incongruence between subject and verb (multi-reference verb) while their brain waves were recorded. In Experiment 2, the same group of Chinese L2 learners and another group of fifteen native English speakers were presented with English sentences that varied in the grammaticality of the sentence with respect to subject–verb number agreement. Our results indicate the followings: 1) When computing the number information between subject and verb in their native languages, the Chinese speakers showed a N400 effects which revealed the neural mechanism of semantic process; 2) When the same group of Chinese speakers computed the number information of subject and verb in their second language, namely, English, they showed sufficient sensitivity of the number agreement information behaviorally; while they demonstrated similar N400 effects in their brain responses, absent of neither LAN nor P600 which are the ERP signatures for syntactic process. 3) The native speakers showed P600 effects and atypical LAN responses when meeting the violation of the subject-verb agreement in English. 4) A scrutiny of the original amplitudes and difference amplitudes disclosed the surprising similarity between the ERP responses of late Chinese L2 learners when processing the number information in their native language and second language, and the distinction from that of native English speakers. The results are taken to support the proposal that language-specific experiences with L1 shape the neural structure of processing in L2.