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Logical Metonymy Resolution in a Words‐as‐Cues Framework: Evidence From Self‐Paced Reading and Probe Recognition
Author(s) -
Zarcone Alessandra,
Padó Sebastian,
Lenci Alessandro
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
cognitive science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.498
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1551-6709
pISSN - 0364-0213
DOI - 10.1111/cogs.12108
Subject(s) - metonymy , verb , linguistics , reading (process) , event (particle physics) , sentence , psychology , computer science , metaphor , philosophy , physics , quantum mechanics
Logical metonymy resolution ( begin a book → beginreadinga book or beginwritinga book ) has traditionally been explained either through complex lexical entries (qualia structures) or through the integration of the implicit event via post‐lexical access to world knowledge. We propose that recent work within the words‐as‐cues paradigm can provide a more dynamic model of logical metonymy, accounting for early and dynamic integration of complex event information depending on previous contextual cues (agent and patient). We first present a self‐paced reading experiment on G erman subordinate sentences, where metonymic sentences and their paraphrased version differ only in the presence or absence of the clause‐final target verb ( Der Konditor begann die Glasur → Der Konditor begann, die Glasuraufzutragen /The baker began the icing → The baker beganspreadingthe icing ). Longer reading times at the target verb position in a high‐typicality condition ( baker + icing → spread ) compared to a low‐typicality (but still plausible) condition ( child + icing → spread ) suggest that we make use of knowledge activated by lexical cues to build expectations about events. The early and dynamic integration of event knowledge in metonymy interpretation is bolstered by further evidence from a second experiment using the probe recognition paradigm. Presenting covert events as probes following a high‐typicality or a low‐typicality metonymic sentence ( Der Konditor begann die Glasur → AUFTRAGEN /The baker began the icing → SPREAD ), we obtain an analogous effect of typicality at 100 ms interstimulus interval.