Processing light verb constructions

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 393-413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Wittenberg ◽  
Maria Mercedes Piñango
Keyword(s):  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Lexical Decision Task ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Light Verb Constructions ◽  
Light Verb ◽  
Processing Cost ◽  
Verb Constructions

Henry gave Elsa a kiss give kiss give a kiss We test two approaches to light verb constructions: (1) joint predication in light verb constructions is stored as pre-specified, and their high frequency predicts less processing cost. (2) Joint predication in light verb constructions is built in real-time. The entailed extra-syntactic composition predicts greater cost. Results from a cross-modal lexical decision task show delayed, higher reaction times for light verb constructions, supporting (2), which is consistent with a linguistic architecture that has partly autonomous lexico-semantic storage and processing.

An examination of L2-L1 noncognate translation priming in the lexical decision task: insights from distributional and frequency-based analyses

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 265-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARIKO NAKAYAMA ◽  
STEPHEN J. LUPKER ◽  
YOSHIHIRO ITAGUCHI
Keyword(s):  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Lexical Decision Task ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Very High Frequency ◽  
Priming Effects ◽  
Target Frequency ◽  
Translation Priming ◽  
Japanese English ◽  
Very High

The main fact that is currently known about the nature of masked L2-L1 noncognate translation priming effects in the lexical decision task is simply that those effects are significant in some studies but not in others. In an effort to better understand these effects, we examined the data pattern for very proficient Japanese–English bilinguals using RT distributional analyses. We also examined the impacts of prime and target frequency on the priming effect. Significant priming was present even on the fastest trials, becoming larger on slower trials. Nonetheless, priming effects were generally constant across prime and target frequency with the only exception being when very high frequency L2 primes were used. In that situation, priming and target frequency were negatively related, a result that essentially produced the observed pattern of increasing priming on slower trials. Implications of these results and potential reasons for the presence/absence of L2-L1 priming effects are discussed.

Give as a light verb

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 280-306
Author(s):  
Elena Martínez Caro ◽  
Jorge Arús-Hita
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Analysis ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
British English ◽  
Light Verb Constructions ◽  
Light Verb ◽  
Frequent Use ◽  
Verb Constructions ◽  
Pragmatic Variation ◽  
Semantic Properties

Abstract Light Verb Constructions (LVCs) have received widespread attention. Research on these constructions, however, has for the most part focused exclusively on their syntactic and lexical-semantic properties. Additionally, studies devoted to specific LVCs tend to neglect the phrasal-semantic and pragmatic variation brought about by the combination of a light verb with different nominal complements. This paper tries to fill those gaps by means of a quantitative and qualitative corpus-based study of Light give Constructions (LgiveCs). The quantitative analysis investigates frequencies of LgiveCs in British English and compares them across spoken and written (fiction) discourse, which reveals a high frequency of this construction in speech, especially in combinations of give with a ring, a kiss and an answer. When these combinations are excluded, LgiveCs are significantly more frequent in writing. In a complementary qualitative approach, we highlight the structural and discursive features of the construction and attempt to explore the factors that motivate the frequent use of the LgiveC in British English.

Well‐being and the accessibility of pleasant and unpleasant concepts

2007 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Borkenau ◽  
Nadine Mauer
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Lexical Decision Task ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Related Concept ◽  
Trait Affect ◽  
Negative Trait ◽  
Decision Times

The trait–congruency hypothesis predicts that persons high in positive or negative trait affect more readily process pleasant or unpleasant stimuli, respectively. In two studies, participants were administered measures of personality and affect. Moreover, a yes/no lexical decision task with pleasant, unpleasant and neutral words was administered in Study 1, whereas a go/no‐go task was used in Study 2. Several methods to increase reliabilities of differences in reaction times are explored. Correlations of measures of personality and trait affect with decision times were mostly consistent with the trait–congruency hypothesis, particularly for decision times in the go/no‐go task that measured individual differences in valence‐specific decision times more reliably. The findings suggest that trait‐related concept accessibility is one source of trait congruity. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Processing of center-embedded and right-branching relative clause sentences by normal elderly individuals

1993 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shari R. Baum
Keyword(s):  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Lexical Decision Task ◽  
Relative Clause ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Older Subjects ◽  
Young Subjects ◽  
Repetition Task

ABSTRACTTwo experiments were conducted to explore processing of relative clause structures by normal elderly adults. Four groups of subjects (aged 20–29 years, 60–69 years, 70–79 years, and 80–89 years) participated in a lexical decision task and a sentence repetition task. Results of the lexical decision task revealed longer reaction times and somewhat different patterns of performance for the older subjects as compared to the young subjects; on the repetition task, the oldest subjects performed more poorly overall. Findings are suggestive of a reduction in computational capacity in the elderly subjects, which may account for observed decrements in syntactic processing as compared to young adults.

scholarly journals Can a connectionist model explain the processing of regularly and irregularly inflected words in German as L1 and L2?

2011 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 446-465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tilo Strobach ◽  
Ute Schönpflug
Keyword(s):  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Lexical Decision Task ◽  
Picture Naming ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Connectionist Model ◽  
Respective Group ◽  
Specific Advantage ◽  
L1 And L2 ◽  
Regular Verb

The connectionist model is a prevailing model of the structure and functioning of the cognitive system of the processing of morphology. According to this model, the morphology of regularly and irregularly inflected words (e.g., verb participles and noun plurals) is processed in the same cognitive network. A validation of the connectionist model of the processing of morphology in German as L2 has yet to be achieved. To investigate L2-specific aspects, we compared a group of L1 speakers of German with speakers of German as L2. L2 and L1 speakers of German were assigned to their respective group by their reaction times in picture naming prior to the central task. The reaction times in the lexical decision task of verb participles and noun plurals were largely consistent with the assumption of the connectionist model. Interestingly, speakers of German as L2 showed a specific advantage for irregular compared with regular verb participles.

scholarly journals Determining light verb constructions in contemporary British and Irish English

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 326-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Ronan ◽  
Gerold Schneider
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Light Verbs ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Light Verb Constructions ◽  
Light Verb ◽  
Verb Constructions ◽  
Quantitative Results

This study implements an automated parser-based approach to the investigation of light verb constructions. The database consisting of ICE-GB and ICE-IRE is used to obtain qualitative and quantitative results on the use of light verb structures. The study explains and evaluates the steps employed to optimize parser output in detecting open lists of light verb constructions. It discusses the qualitative usage differences of these structures in the data between the two varieties and finds that ICE-GB favours fewer high frequency light verbs while ICE-IRE contains more diverse lower frequency light verbs and more passives. Overall, counts of light verb constructions are considerably higher than previously assumed. The projected counts suggest that attestations of light verb constructions will increase considerably if the search is not restricted to certain high-frequency light verbs as is typically done in studies employing manual or semi-automatic approaches to data collection.

scholarly journals If I Cry, Do You Care?

2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Lockwood ◽  
Abigail Millings ◽  
Erica Hepper ◽  
Angela C. Rowe
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Lexical Decision Task ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Cognitive Empathy ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Semantic Activation ◽  
Emotional Empathy

Crying is a powerful solicitation of caregiving, yet little is known about the cognitive processes underpinning caring responses to crying others. This study examined (1) whether crying (compared to sad and happy) faces differentially elicited semantic activation of caregiving, and (2) whether individual differences in cognitive and emotional empathy moderated this activation. Ninety participants completed a lexical decision task in which caregiving, neutral, and nonwords were presented after subliminal exposure (24 ms) to crying, sad, and happy faces. Individuals low in cognitive empathy had slower reaction times to caregiving (vs. neutral) words after exposure to crying faces, but not after sad or happy faces. Results are discussed with respect to the role of empathy in response to crying others.

The Influence of Negative Orthographic Neighborhood in the Lexical Decision Task: Valence and Arousal Contributions

2021 ◽  
pp. 002383092110610
Author(s):  
Anna-Malika Camblats ◽  
Pamela Gobin ◽  
Stéphanie Mathey
Keyword(s):  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Lexical Decision Task ◽  
Interaction Effect ◽  
Visual Recognition ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Neutral Stimulus ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Orthographic Neighbor ◽  
Valence And Arousal ◽  
Affective System

This study investigated whether the visual recognition of neutral words might be influenced by the emotional dimensions (i.e., valence and arousal) of orthographically similar lexical representations, and whether this might also depend on emotional-related traits of participants (i.e., alexithymia). To this end, 108 participants performed a lexical decision task with 80 neutral words with a higher frequency orthographic neighbor that varied in valence (from neutral to negative) and arousal (from low to high). The main finding was the expected interaction effect between the valence and arousal of the neighbor on the lexical decision times of neutral stimulus words. Longer reaction times were found when the valence score of the neighbor decreased from neutral to negative for words with a low-arousal orthographic neighbor while this emotional neighbor effect was reversed for words with a high-arousal negative neighbor. This combined influence of the valence and arousal of the neighbor was interpreted in terms of increased lexical competition processes and direct influence of the affective system on the participant’s response. Moreover, this interaction effect was smaller when the level of alexithymia of the participants increased, suggesting that people with a higher level of alexithymia are less sensitive to the emotional content of the neighbor. The results are discussed within an interactive activation model of visual word recognition incorporating an affective system with valence and arousal dimensions, with regard to the role of the alexithymia level of participants.

scholarly journals Relative Embodiment of Japanese Verbs

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Masaya Mochizuki ◽  
Naoto Ota
Keyword(s):  
Word Recognition ◽  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Lexical Decision Task ◽  
Visual Word Recognition ◽  
Word Meaning ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Naming Task ◽  
Visual Word ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Transitive Verbs

Studies examining visual word recognition have revealed that sensorimotor information is associated with the meaning of and influences the processing of words. In this study, we collected ratings of relative embodiment, which reflects how much physical movement is involved in a word meaning, for 219 Japanese transitive verbs. We then investigated how the ratings affect visual word recognition, using three different tasks: a word-naming task, a lexical decision task, and a syntactic classification task. We found that reaction times were faster and correct rates were higher (in the lexical decision task) for words with higher relative embodiment ratings than for those with lower ratings. These findings indicate that relative embodiment affects processing of Japanese verbs as well as of English verbs.

Cognitive–Linguistic Functions in Adults With Epilepsy: Preliminary Electrophysiological and Behavioral Findings

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (7) ◽  
pp. 2403-2417
Author(s):  
Manaswita Dutta ◽  
Laura L. Murray ◽  
Wendy Miller ◽  
Isaiah Innis ◽  
Sharlene Newman
Keyword(s):  
Lexical Decision ◽  
Lexical Decision Task ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Event Related Potential ◽  
Pediatric Epilepsy ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Spoken Discourse ◽  
Cognitive Linguistic ◽  
Basic Language ◽  
High Level

Purpose Cognition and language difficulties are frequently reported in both children and adults with epilepsy. The majority of the existing research has focused on pediatric epilepsy, documenting impairments in learning, academics, and social–emotional functioning. In comparison, language deficits in younger and older adults with epilepsy have received less empirical attention. Given recently identified limitations in the extant literature regarding assessing epilepsy-related language problems in adults ( Dutta et al., 2018 ), the current exploratory study described in this research note investigated the cognitive–linguistic abilities of adults with focal or generalized types of epilepsy. Method Twelve participants with epilepsy and 11 age- and education-matched healthy controls completed a cognitive–linguistic test battery. Event-related potential (ERP) procedures were also employed to assess the integrity of neural activity supporting psycholinguistic processing in both groups using a lexical decision task. Results No significant performance differences between epilepsy and healthy control groups were noted on basic language tasks; however, group differences were evident on the more complex language measures, including spoken discourse. Even though both groups performed the lexical decision task similarly in terms of accuracy, individuals with epilepsy demonstrated longer reaction times and some atypical ERP characteristics compared to controls. Conclusion The cognitive–linguistic assessment and ERP findings suggested that, compared to neurotypical adults, individuals with epilepsy demonstrate slower processing times and greater difficulty with high-level language and spoken discourse production, despite performing within typical limits on basic language tests. Preliminary results from this research are significant in providing new knowledge about language functioning in adults with epilepsy.

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