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Examining Online Syntactic Processing of Spoken Complex Sentences in Chinese Using Dual-Modal Interference Tasks
Published on: September 5, 2019
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The structure-sensitivity of memory access: evidence from Mandarin Chinese
Brian Dillon1, Wing-Yee Chow2, Matthew Wagers3
1Department of Linguistics, University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA, USA.
Frontiers in Psychology
|October 14, 2014
Summary
Syntactic structure impacts sentence comprehension. Retrieving antecedents for Mandarin Chinese reflexive
Area of Science:
- Psycholinguistics
- Computational Linguistics
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Sentence comprehension relies on memory retrieval processes.
- Locality effects are common in language processing, but their underlying mechanisms are debated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of syntactic structure in memory retrieval for Mandarin Chinese long-distance reflexives ('ziji').
- To evaluate the 'Local Search' hypothesis against alternative explanations for locality effects.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the multiple-response speed-accuracy tradeoff (MR-SAT) paradigm to measure antecedent retrieval times.
- Designed experimental materials contrasting local and distant clause antecedents for 'ziji'.
- Developed a formal model to predict antecedent retrieval time course and interpret MR-SAT data.
Main Results:
- Processing 'ziji' with syntactically distant antecedents was slower than with local antecedents.
- MR-SAT data and computational modeling supported the 'Local Search' hypothesis.
- Comprehenders appear to limit initial memory search to the local syntactic domain.
Conclusions:
- Syntactic structure significantly influences memory retrieval during sentence comprehension.
- The 'Local Search' hypothesis provides a viable explanation for locality effects.
- Locality effects in sentence comprehension may not solely stem from temporal decay or retrieval interference.
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