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The Effect of Context on the Interpretation of Noun-Noun Combinations: Eye Movement and Behavioral Evidence
Document Type: Open Access
Degree Program
Psychology
Degree Type
Master of Science (M.S.)
Year Degree Awarded
2008
Month Degree Awarded
September
Primary Subject Category
Psychology
Secondary Subject Category
Linguistics
Keywords
conceptual combination, eye movement, noun-nouns, context
Advisor(s) or Committee Chair
Cohen, Andrew L
Abstract
Two experiments examined processing of "near-nonsense" noun-noun combinations (e.g., dictionary treatment, olive signals). In the first experiment, readers’ eye movements were monitored as they read sentences containing such combinations, or control sentences containing easy-to-interpret adjective-noun combinations. A preceding context sentence either did or did not support a specific interpretation of the critical noun-noun combination. The earliest measures of processing difficulty were not modulated by the context manipulation, but on later measures, the potentially helpful context did alleviate difficulty. In the second experiment, participants provided detailed interpretations of the critical combinations, with and without the potentially helpful context sentence; the results confirmed that the context sentences encouraged specific interpretations of these combinations. The results suggest that a noun-noun combination is initially interpreted without taking into account the immediate context, but that this context may ultimately play a critical role.
Recommended Citation
McCaffrey, Tony, "The Effect of Context on the Interpretation of Noun-Noun Combinations: Eye Movement and Behavioral Evidence" (2008). Masters Theses. Paper 217.
http://scholarworks.umass.edu/theses/217
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