Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 15, 2026
08:32
Examining Online Syntactic Processing of Spoken Complex Sentences in Chinese Using Dual-Modal Interference Tasks
Published on: September 5, 2019
5.9K
Processing Mandarin Chinese classifiers as a lexico-syntactic feature during noun phrase production
Jin Wang1, Jurriaan Witteman1, Niels O Schiller2
1Leiden University Centre for Linguistics (LUCL), Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Brain Research
|October 12, 2025
Summary
Lexico-syntactic features like classifiers are automatically activated during Mandarin Chinese speech production. This activation interacts with semantic processing, influencing noun phrase production.
Area of Science:
- Psycholinguistics
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Linguistic Theory
Background:
- Lexico-syntactic features are presumed to activate automatically during speech.
- Previous research supports this for classifier congruency effects.
- Empirical validation in Mandarin Chinese is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate classifier congruency effects in Mandarin noun phrase production.
- Explore the relationship between classifier processing and semantic processing.
- Provide empirical evidence for automatic lexico-syntactic feature activation.
Main Methods:
- Picture-Word Interference (PWI) paradigm with methodological refinements.
- Manipulation of classifier congruency and semantic relatedness.
- Behavioral (naming latency) and electroencephalography (ERP) measures.
Main Results:
- Semantic interference effect confirmed: longer latencies for semantically related distractors.
- No main effect of classifier congruency, but a significant interaction with semantic relatedness.
- Classifier incongruency delayed naming under semantically related conditions.
- ERP data showed both effects peaking in the N400 time window.
Conclusions:
- Classifier information is automatically activated as a lexico-syntactic feature during lemma access.
- This automatic activation is modulated by semantic processing.
- Findings advance understanding of classifier processing in Mandarin Chinese speech production.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Components of Language
750
Language, whether spoken, signed, or written, consists of specific components: lexicon and grammar. The lexicon is the vocabulary of a language, comprising its words. Grammar is the set of rules used to convey meaning through the lexicon. For example, English grammar adds “-ed” to most verbs to indicate past tense. Words are formed by combining phonemes, which are the basic sound units of a language. Different languages have different sets of phonemes (e.g., “ah” vs.
750
01:22Force Classification
2.3K
Forces play a crucial role in the study of physics and engineering. They are essential in describing the motion, behavior, and equilibrium of objects in the physical world. Forces can be classified based on their origin, type, and direction of action.
Contact and non-contact forces are two of the most widely used categories of forces. As the name suggests, contact forces require physical contact between two objects to act upon each other. Examples of contact forces include frictional,...
Contact and non-contact forces are two of the most widely used categories of forces. As the name suggests, contact forces require physical contact between two objects to act upon each other. Examples of contact forces include frictional,...
2.3K
01:27Language and Cognition
711
Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
711
01:30Classification of Signals
1.3K
In signal processing, signals are classified based on various characteristics: continuous-time versus discrete-time, periodic versus aperiodic, analog versus digital, and causal versus noncausal. Each category highlights distinct properties crucial for understanding and manipulating signals.
A continuous-time signal holds a value at every instant in time, representing information seamlessly. In contrast, a discrete-time signal holds values only at specific moments, often denoted as x(n), where...
A continuous-time signal holds a value at every instant in time, representing information seamlessly. In contrast, a discrete-time signal holds values only at specific moments, often denoted as x(n), where...
1.3K
01:29Aggregates Classification
966
Aggregate classification is generally based on its size, petrographic characteristics, weight, and source. Size classification ranges from coarse to fine aggregates, defined by the size of the particles. Coarse aggregates are particles that do not pass through ASTM sieve No. 4, and aggregates that pass through the sieve are fine aggregates.
Petrographic classification groups aggregates based on common mineralogical characteristics. Some of the common mineral groups found in aggregates are...
Petrographic classification groups aggregates based on common mineralogical characteristics. Some of the common mineral groups found in aggregates are...
966
01:22Language Development
848
Children master language quickly and with relative ease, supported by both biological predisposition and reinforcement. B. F. Skinner (1957) proposed that language is learned through reinforcement, while Noam Chomsky (1965) argued that language acquisition mechanisms are biologically determined.
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
848