Validating the Permutational Test of Grammaticality

The permutational test of grammaticality employs the notion of a kernel sentence, defined as subject-verb-object-qualifier (SVOQ). Three experiments are reported leading to the following conclusions: (1) an index measuring progressive disruption of the kernel yielded Pearson r's of .65 to .84 with mean numbers of grammatical judgments of the 23 permutations of SVOQ. (2) When the index of disruption is relatively low subjects tend to reinterpret the meaning of a permutation and judge it as grammatical. The nature of the qualifier and its point of interpolation were the determining factors. (3) When the index is relatively high, word order alone predicts mean grammatical judgments. (4) The level of meaningfulness of the constituent words of a sentence exerts a moderating influence on effect (2).