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Locality and Word Order in Active Dependency Formation in Bangla
Dustin A Chacón1, Mashrur Imtiaz2, Shirsho Dasgupta3
1Department of Linguistics, University of Maryland, College ParkCollege Park, MD, USA; Department of Linguistics, University of MinnesotaMinneapolis, MN, USA.
Frontiers in Psychology
|September 10, 2016
Summary
Sentence processing preferences for filler-gap dependencies are explored. Comprehenders prioritize linear proximity, but only detect disruptions when both structural and linear locality are violated.
Area of Science:
- Psycholinguistics
- Computational Linguistics
- Linguistic Theory
Background:
- Filler-gap dependencies are constrained, influencing sentence processing.
- Comprehenders exhibit preferences for gap sites and detect violations.
- Mechanisms for gap site selection and detection remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate mechanisms underlying filler-gap dependency resolution.
- Dissociate structural locality from linear locality in gap site selection.
- Examine sensitivity to disrupted gap resolutions in Bangla.
Main Methods:
- Three experiments using Bangla, a language with flexible word order.
- Experiment 1: Untimed ambiguity resolution task.
- Experiments 2 & 3: Filled-gap paradigm to assess sensitivity to disruption.
Main Results:
- A global bias favors resolving filler-gap dependencies with the first linearly available gap.
- Sensitivity to disruption occurs only when the blocked gap is both structurally and linearly local (within the same clause).
- Comprehenders may not detect all preferred gap resolution disruptions.
Conclusions:
- Linear locality plays a significant role in initial filler-gap resolution.
- Structural locality is crucial for detecting processing disruptions.
- Comprehender sensitivity to violated preferences is context-dependent.
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