| Presentation | 2017-07-22 Context and semantic composition of multiple dimension representations in real-time comprehension Yao-Ying Lai, David Braze, Maria Pinango, |
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| PDF Download Page |  PDF download Page Link |
| Abstract(in Japanese) | (See Japanese page) |
| Abstract(in English) | We investigate the role of context in sentential meaning composition of aspectual verbal predicates (AspV). This semantic class involves morpho-syntactically underspecified composition: Sentences with aspectual verbs, e.g., "Dave began/continued/finished this CD of classic Jazz hits" are semantically ambiguous between (i) an agentive reading along the eventive dimension (e.g., Dave began/continued/finished recording this CD...), in which the complement is a participant of an event, and (ii) a constitutive reading along the spatial/informational dimension (e.g., Dave's song was the first/medial/final track on this CD...), in which the complement refers to a physical entity or a body of informational content. We hypothesize that AspVs (e.g., begin/continue/finish) require their complement to denote a structured individual, which is construed as an axis to be mapped along various dimensions (spatial, informational, temporal, eventive). This mapping is done via a set of lexical functions encoded in AspVs (e.g., f-space, f-info, f-time). The composition of an AspV + complement yields multiple dimension representations, and the ultimate sentence interpretation is determined by the specific dimension chosen in context. Results of an eye-tracking experiment show a main effect of verb type, such that AspV sentences engendered longer reading times than the control condition (p<0.001). We did not observe an effect of context facilitation. This suggests that the lexical-function retrieval and dimension-ambiguity resolution process are initially encapsulated from the larger contextual circumstances of AspV utterances, and are therefore required as part of the meaning implementation of AspVs. Conclusion: This study reveals that in real-time comprehension, (i) sentences involving dimension ambiguity engender more cost; (ii) exhaustive lexical retrieval and semantic composition of multiple dimension representations take place regardless of context. The role of context is likely to constrain, rather than determine, the appropriate sentence reading and only after multiple dimension representations are construed. |
| Keyword(in Japanese) | (See Japanese page) |
| Keyword(in English) | Semantic composition / Context / Underspecification / Semantic ambiguity / Aspectual verbs / Lexical retrieval / Structured individuals / dimension representations |
| Paper # | TL2017-14 |
| Date of Issue | 2017-07-15 (TL) |
| Conference Information | |
| Committee | TL |
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| Conference Date | 2017/7/22(2days) |
| Place (in Japanese) | (See Japanese page) |
| Place (in English) | NINJAL |
| Topics (in Japanese) | (See Japanese page) |
| Topics (in English) | Human Language Processing and Learning |
| Chair | Masami Suzuki(KDDI Research) |
| Vice Chair | Tadahisa Kondo(Kogakuin Univ.) / Chiaki Kubomura(Yamano College of Aesthetics) |
| Secretary | Tadahisa Kondo(Kobe Gakuin Univ.) / Chiaki Kubomura(Kyoto Univ.) |
| Assistant | Nobuyuki Jincho(Waseda Univ.) / Noriaki Takada(Ferris Univ.) |
| Paper Information | |
| Registration To | Technical Committee on Thought and Language |
|---|---|
| Language | ENG |
| Title (in Japanese) | (See Japanese page) |
| Sub Title (in Japanese) | (See Japanese page) |
| Title (in English) | Context and semantic composition of multiple dimension representations in real-time comprehension |
| Sub Title (in English) | |
| Keyword(1) | Semantic composition |
| Keyword(2) | Context |
| Keyword(3) | Underspecification |
| Keyword(4) | Semantic ambiguity |
| Keyword(5) | Aspectual verbs |
| Keyword(6) | Lexical retrieval |
| Keyword(7) | Structured individuals |
| Keyword(8) | dimension representations |
| 1st Author's Name | Yao-Ying Lai |
| 1st Author's Affiliation | Yale University(Yale Univ.) |
| 2nd Author's Name | David Braze |
| 2nd Author's Affiliation | Haskins Laboratories(Haskins Lab.) |
| 3rd Author's Name | Maria Pinango |
| 3rd Author's Affiliation | Yale University(Yale Univ.) |
| Date | 2017-07-22 |
| Paper # | TL2017-14 |
| Volume (vol) | vol.117 |
| Number (no) | TL-149 |
| Page | pp.pp.7-11(TL), |
| #Pages | 5 |
| Date of Issue | 2017-07-15 (TL) |