scholarly journals Eye-tracking and ERPs in multi-word expression research: A state-of-the-art review of the method and findings

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Siyanova
Keyword(s):  
Eye Tracking ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Brain Potentials ◽  
Unique Role ◽  
Word Level ◽  
On Line ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Linguistic Phenomenon

In recent years, there has been growing interest in the mechanisms that underlie on-line processing (comprehension and production) of units above the word level, known as multi-word expressions (MWEs). MWEs are a heterogeneous family of expressions that vary greatly in their linguistic properties but are perceived as highly conventional by native speakers. Extensive behavioural research has demonstrated that, due to their frequency and predictability, MWEs are processed differently from novel strings of language. At the very least, MWEs have been shown to be processed faster than matched control phrases. However, behavioural measures are limited in what they can tell us about MWE processing in the brain above and beyond the speed of processing. The present paper argues in favour of two powerful psycho-and neurolinguistic techniques-eye-tracking and event-related brain potentials (ERPs)-and presents a case for why these techniques are particularly suited for the investigation of phrasal frequency and predictive linguistic mechanisms. A number of studies that have drawn on these methods in their exploration of MWEs are reviewed, with a particular emphasis on the unique role of the method and its ability to tap into the underlying mechanisms implicated in MWE processing. It is argued that the two techniques complement, rather than duplicate each other, providing an ever richer account of the (psycho)linguistic phenomenon that MWEs are. © John Benjamins Publishing Company.

scholarly journals Eye-tracking and ERPs in multi-word expression research: A state-of-the-art review of the method and findings

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Siyanova
Keyword(s):  
Eye Tracking ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Brain Potentials ◽  
Unique Role ◽  
Word Level ◽  
On Line ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Linguistic Phenomenon

In recent years, there has been growing interest in the mechanisms that underlie on-line processing (comprehension and production) of units above the word level, known as multi-word expressions (MWEs). MWEs are a heterogeneous family of expressions that vary greatly in their linguistic properties but are perceived as highly conventional by native speakers. Extensive behavioural research has demonstrated that, due to their frequency and predictability, MWEs are processed differently from novel strings of language. At the very least, MWEs have been shown to be processed faster than matched control phrases. However, behavioural measures are limited in what they can tell us about MWE processing in the brain above and beyond the speed of processing. The present paper argues in favour of two powerful psycho-and neurolinguistic techniques-eye-tracking and event-related brain potentials (ERPs)-and presents a case for why these techniques are particularly suited for the investigation of phrasal frequency and predictive linguistic mechanisms. A number of studies that have drawn on these methods in their exploration of MWEs are reviewed, with a particular emphasis on the unique role of the method and its ability to tap into the underlying mechanisms implicated in MWE processing. It is argued that the two techniques complement, rather than duplicate each other, providing an ever richer account of the (psycho)linguistic phenomenon that MWEs are. © John Benjamins Publishing Company.

Eye-tracking and ERPs in multi-word expression research

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 245-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Siyanova-Chanturia
Keyword(s):  
Eye Tracking ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Brain Potentials ◽  
Unique Role ◽  
Online Processing ◽  
Word Level ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Linguistic Phenomenon

In recent years, there has been growing interest in the mechanisms that underlie online processing (comprehension and production) of units above the word level, known as multi-word expressions (MWEs). MWEs are a heterogeneous family of expressions that vary greatly in their linguistic properties but are perceived as highly conventional by native speakers. Extensive behavioural research has demonstrated that, due to their frequency and predictability, MWEs are processed differently from novel strings of language. At the very least, MWEs have been shown to be processed faster than matched control phrases. However, behavioural measures are limited in what they can tell us about MWE processing in the brain above and beyond the speed of processing. The present paper argues in favour of two powerful psycho- and neurolinguistic techniques — eye-tracking and event-related brain potentials (ERPs) — and presents a case for why these techniques are particularly suited for the investigation of phrasal frequency and predictive linguistic mechanisms. A number of studies that have drawn on these methods in their exploration of MWEs are reviewed, with a particular emphasis on the unique role of the method and its ability to tap into the underlying mechanisms implicated in MWE processing. It is argued that the two techniques complement, rather than duplicate each other, providing an ever richer account of the (psycho)linguistic phenomenon that MWEs are.

Forward Dendritic Spikes

2011 ◽  
pp. 42-59
Author(s):  
Oscar Herreras ◽  
Julia Makarova ◽  
José Manuel Ibarz
Keyword(s):  
Action Potentials ◽  
Remarkable Property ◽  
Synaptic Inputs ◽  
Brain Circuits ◽  
Voltage Dependent ◽  
Dendritic Spikes ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Made In

Neurons send trains of action potentials to communicate each other. Different messages are issued according to varying inputs, but they can also mix them up in a multiplexed language transmitted through a single cable, the axon. This remarkable property arises from the capability of dendritic domains to work semi autonomously and even decide output. We review the underlying mechanisms and theoretical implications of the role of voltage-dependent dendritic currents on the forward transmission of synaptic inputs, with special emphasis in the initiation, integration and forward conduction of dendritic spikes. When these spikes reach the axon, output decision was made in one of many parallel dendritic substations. When failed, they still serve as an internal language to transfer information between dendritic domains. This notion brakes with the classic view of neurons as the elementary units of the brain and attributes them computational/storage capabilities earlier billed to complex brain circuits.

scholarly journals AUTHENTICITY WITHIN THE EIL PARADIGM

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (34) ◽  
Author(s):  
I.Y ZHEBRATKINA ◽  
◽  
V.V ROMANOV ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Modern Science ◽  
International Communication ◽  
Mutual Understanding ◽  
English Teacher ◽  
Unique Role ◽  
International Language ◽  
High Level

The purpose of this work is to study the relevance of the phenomenon of authenticity in the expanding context of English as an International Language (EIL). Based on the data of modern science on this issue, as well as on the results obtained during the generalization and analysis of existing experience, we concluded that authenticity should be considered within the framework of English as an international language, taking into account the inevitable need to adapt extralinguistic elements to the situation of international communication, while paying due attention to the need to comply with the norms of native speakers in phonology and grammar. Authenticity within the paradigm of English as an International language presupposes pragmatic conformity: these are correctly, methodically selected materials included in a language learning course, correspondence of the materials to the needs of students, their language level, presentation of the material by the developers taking into account an international factor. One cannot fail to note a unique role of an English teacher and his irreplaceable contribution to communicative capabilities and authenticating abilities. Thus, authenticity within the framework of English as an International language requires interaction of language itself, dynamically developing and subject to various kinds of changes, students, teachers, authors of textbooks of a new rank, who take into account the needs of international communication and contextual factors as well. We shouldn`t not forget about native speakers who undoubtedly contribute to the development of English as an International language. But we need to note that, standards of native speakers are not primary for authentication process, but auxiliary. We are profoundly convinced that this cooperation will surely result in the so-called "strong" students - these are students with a high level of English proficiency, who will easily challenge international communication environment with mutual understanding at the intercultural level.

scholarly journals Adding more fuel to the fire: An eye-tracking study of idiom processing by native and non-native speakers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Siyanova ◽  
K Conklin ◽  
N Schmitt
Keyword(s):  
Eye Tracking ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Figurative Meaning ◽  
Point Analysis ◽  
On Line ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
Idiom Processing

Using eye-tracking, we investigate on-line processing of idioms in a biasing story context by native and non-native speakers of English. The stimuli are idioms used figuratively (at the end of the day - 'eventually'), literally (at the end of the day - 'in the evening'), and novel phrases (at the end of the war). Native speaker results indicate a processing advantage for idioms over novel phrases, as evidenced by fewer and shorter fixations. Further, no processing advantage is found for figurative idiom uses over literal ones in a full idiom analysis or in a recognition point analysis. Contrary to native speaker results, non-native findings suggest that L2 speakers process idioms at a similar speed to novel phrases. Further, figurative uses are processed more slowly than literal ones. Importantly, the recognition point analysis allows us to establish where non-natives slow down when processing the figurative meaning. © The Author(s) 2011.

scholarly journals Gender features in pronoun resolution processing in Brazilian Portuguese

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Michele Alves
Keyword(s):  
Eye Tracking ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Grammatical Gender ◽  
Brazilian Portuguese ◽  
Structural Constraints ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
On Line ◽  
Materials Used ◽  
Grammatical Judgment ◽  
Gender Features

Given the fact that the parser has a very restrictive focus of attention, it is memory retrieval that helps us to bind antecedents and pronouns in coreference, which is considered a long distance dependency. Our memory seems to work in a content-addressable way (McElree, 2000; McElree et al, 2003; van Dyke and McElree, 2006), that is, all the antecedent candidates that match the pronoun cues are simultaneously accessed and the correct antecedent is retrieved. However, memory can suffer interference from distractors (Lewis & Vasishth, 2005; Lewis, Vasishth & van Dyke, 2006), items that are similar to the antecedent. Consequently the strength of association between the pronoun’s cues and the antecedent’s features reduces, and distractors can be retrieved instead of the antecedent. According to some psycholinguistic studies, at least two kinds of cues might play a role in this process: the structural constraints related to Principle B and agreement between antecedents and pronouns. This research aims to investigate how nominal antecedents are retrieved in Brazilian Portuguese, which is a language with morphology richness. The question is whether the structural constraints cues and the agreement cues would have the same influence in coreference processing. Moreover, a comparison between different types of agreement features will also be examined in order to find out whether memory retrieves feminine features differently from masculine; and whether grammatical gender, which is an invariable and arbitrary gender, is retrieved differently from semantic gender, which is related to the biological gender of the referent. The results of an eye-tracking study conducted with 24 native speakers of Brazilian Portuguese indicate that at the beginning of coreference processing, the only cues that are taken into account are the gender features. Interestingly, feminine and grammatical gender features were responsible for greater influences in both grammatical and ungrammatical sentences. On the other hand, the structural constraints seem to play a major role at later processing phases. Additionally, an off-line grammatical judgment experiment with the same materials used in the previous experiment was conducted with forty native speakers of Brazilian Portuguese. The results confirmed the eye-tracking findings as it seems that the presence of attractors influenced on-line and off-line processing as well as the comprehension of the sentences. Therefore, ungrammatical sentences with attractors were treated as grammatical and grammatical sentences with attractors were treated as ungrammatical. Besides that, ungrammatical sentences were also vulnerable to semantic illusions in the presence of attractors, that is, distractors were retrieved as semantic referents.                                                                                                                                    

scholarly journals Electrophysiological Signatures of Visual Lexical Processing: Open-and Closed-Class Words

1999 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin M. Brown ◽  
Peter Hagoort ◽  
Mariken ter Keurs
Keyword(s):  
Word Frequency ◽  
Sentence Processing ◽  
Word Length ◽  
Lexical Processing ◽  
Brain Potentials ◽  
Closed Class ◽  
Categorical Information ◽  
On Line ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Class Distinction

n This paper presents evidence of the disputed existence of an electrophysiological marker for the lexical-categorical distinction between open-and closed-class words. Event-related brain potentials were recorded from the scalp while subjects read a story. Separate waveforms were computed for open-and closed-class words. Two aspects of the waveforms could be reliably related to vocabulary class. The first was an early negativity in the 230-to 350-msec epoch, with a bilateral anterior predominance. This negativity was elicited by open-and closed-class words alike, was not affected by word frequency or word length, and had an earlier peak latency for closed-class words. The second was a frontal slow negative shift in the 350-to 500-msec epoch, largest over the left side of the scalp. This late negativity was only elicited by closed-class words. Although the early negativity cannot serve as a qualitative marker of the open-and closed-class distinction, it does reflect the earliest electrophysiological manifestation of the availability of categorical information from the mental lexicon. These results suggest that the brain honors the distinction between open-and closed-class words, in relation to the different roles that they play in on-line sentence processing.

The on-line processing of binding principles in second language acquisition: Evidence from eye tracking

2014 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 1317-1374 ◽  
Author(s):  
EUNAH KIM ◽  
SILVINA MONTRUL ◽  
JAMES YOON
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Eye Tracking ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Noun Phrases ◽  
Binding Theory ◽  
Visual World Paradigm ◽  
Syntactic Information ◽  
L2 Learners ◽  
On Line ◽  
Syntactic Binding

ABSTRACTThis study examined how adult L2 learners make use of grammatical and extragrammatical information to interpret reflexives and pronouns. Forty adult English native speakers and 32 intermediate–advanced Korean L2 learners participated in a visual world paradigm eye-tracking experiment. We investigated the interpretation of reflexives (himself) and pronouns (him) in contexts where there is a potential coargument antecedent and in the context of picture noun phrases (a picture of him/himself), where the distribution of reflexives and pronouns can overlap. The results indicated that the learners interpreted reflexives in a nativelike fashion in both contexts, whereas they interpreted pronouns differently from native speakers, even when learners had advanced English proficiency. Adopting the binding theory as developed in the reflexivity/primitives of binding framework (Reinhart & Reuland, 1993; Reuland, 2001, 2011), we interpret these results to mean that while adult L2 learners are able to apply syntactic binding principles to assign an interpretation to anaphoric expressions, they have difficulty in integrating syntactic information with contextual and discourse information.

Prescriptive adaptation of English stops in initial S-clusters into Korean

2013 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-117
Author(s):  
Ahrong Lee
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Source Language ◽  
On Line

This study investigates the role of prescriptivism and the influence of orthographic conventions on the adaptation of English loanwords in Korean. An experiment is conducted in which native speakers of Korean produce on-line adaptations of English nonce words with word-initial clusters of s-plus-stop (/sp-, st-, sk-/). The results show that Korean listeners categorize English voiceless unaspirated stops as Korean tense stops in the absence of corresponding English graphemes, whereas they select Korean aspirated stops when presented with their English spellings (p, t, c/k). This reveals a prominent bias in borrowing toward substitution by the phonetically closest sounds in the recipient language, albeit only when the role of source language orthography is suppressed.

scholarly journals Differences between grammatical gender and semantic gender in pronominal antecedent retrieval in Brazilian Portuguese

Diacrítica ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-115
Author(s):  
Michele Calil dos Santos Alves
Keyword(s):  
Eye Tracking ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Grammatical Gender ◽  
Brazilian Portuguese ◽  
Structural Constraints ◽  
Interference Effects ◽  
Morphological Cues ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Syntactic Dependency

Coreference is a syntactic dependency in which pronouns are bound to previous referents in discourse. Granted that antecedents of anaphors must be retrieved from memory in coreference, the aim of this research is to provide more information on how pronominal antecedents are retrieved, and more precisely to clarify the role of gender cues in pronominal antecedent retrieval when gender morphology is overt. Since Portuguese is a language with visible morphology, speakers of this language are used to rely on agreement cues to process language. The results of two eye-tracking experiments conducted with native speakers of Brazilian Portuguese demonstrated that both binding structural constraints and gender morphological cues are equally important in antecedent retrieval in memory throughout processing. In addition, the results indicated that semantic gender seemed to weigh more in memory than grammatical gender since structurally unacceptable candidates carrying semantic gender caused more interference effects than grammatical gender.

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