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Lingering misinterpretations in garden-path sentences: evidence from a paraphrasing task.
Nikole D Patson1, Emily S Darowski, Nicole Moon
1Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. ndh11@pitt.edu
Journal of Experimental Psychology. Learning, Memory, and Cognition
|February 13, 2009
Summary
Even after reanalysis, initial misinterpretations of garden-path sentences persist. This suggests that language comprehension may operate in a "good-enough" manner, prioritizing speed over complete accuracy.
Area of Science:
- Psycholinguistics
- Cognitive Science
- Sentence Processing
Background:
- Previous research indicated that initial misinterpretations of garden-path sentences persist after reanalysis.
- The methodology used in prior studies was questioned due to potential biases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the phenomenon of lingering misinterpretations in garden-path sentences.
- To provide evidence supporting the persistence of initial misinterpretations using a less biased methodology.
Main Methods:
- A paraphrasing methodology was employed to assess sentence interpretation.
- Participants' paraphrases of garden-path sentences were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Garden-path sentences were paraphrased reflecting a partially reanalyzed interpretation.
- Evidence for lingering misinterpretations was found, supporting previous claims.
Conclusions:
- Comprehenders' final interpretations can be inaccurate and deviate from the initial input.
- Findings support the 'good-enough' theory of language comprehension, where processing is efficient but not always perfectly accurate.
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