Context and Literality in Idiom Processing: Evidence from Self-Paced Reading.
J Psycholinguist Res
; 49(5): 837-863, 2020 Oct.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32666211
ABSTRACT
In a self-paced reading study, we investigated how effects of biasing contexts in idiom processing interact with effects of idiom literality. Specifically, we tested if idioms with a high potential for literal interpretation (e.g., break the ice) are processed differently in figuratively and literally biasing contexts than idioms with a low potential (e.g., lose one's cool). Participants read sentences that biased towards a figurative or literal reading of idioms and continued with resolutions that were congruent or incongruent with these biases (e.g., [The new schoolboy/the chilly Eskimo] just wanted to break the ice [with his peers/on the lake]
). While interpretations of high-literality idioms were strengthened by supporting contexts and showed costs for incongruent resolutions, low-literality idioms did not show this effect. Rather, interpreting low-literality idioms in a literal manner showed a cost regardless of context. We conclude that biasing contexts are used in a flexible process of real-time idiom processing and meaning constitution, but this effect is mediated by idiom literality.
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Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Leitura
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Semântica
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Cognição
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Compreensão
Limite:
Adult
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Female
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Humans
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Male
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2020
Tipo de documento:
Article