The processing of multi-word sequences in first and second language

Li, Wanyin (2024). The processing of multi-word sequences in first and second language. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

Sentence reading not only involves recognising single words but also requires recurrent word sequences to be comprehended together. This thesis investigates the processing of different types of recurrent word sequences during sentence reading in both L1 and L2 speakers. Following a general introduction (Chapter 1) and a theoretical overview (Chapter 2), Chapter 3 followed a phraseological approach to define word combinations and compared the processing of free word combinations (of which all components are used in their literal sense and can be freely substituted, e.g., affect one’s mind), restricted collocations (which have one lexical part that is usually used in a de-lexical or figurative sense and which cannot be freely replaced by a word with a similar semantic meaning, e.g., enter one’s mind), and idioms (which have a conventionalised figurative interpretation, e.g., blow one’s mind). Chapter 3 used a self-paced reading paradigm paired with a stop-making-sense task. L1 speakers read idioms more quickly than free word combinations, while L2 proficiency and the type of word combinations interacted to affect the processing of these word combinations. Chapter 4 used the same experimental paradigm and addressed idiomatic ambiguity by comparing ambiguous idioms (i.e., those that can also interpreted literally, e.g., grey area) to corpus-defined collocations (e.g., vast area) and novel literal expressions (i.e., newly coined word combinations, e.g., rare area), with word-level and phrase-level frequencies strictly matched. L1 speakers read idioms used in their figurative interpretation more quickly than collocations. However, this idiom advantage was not found in L2 speakers. Both L1 and L2 speakers demonstrated meaning dominance and semantic decomposability interacted to resolve the idiomatic ambiguity. Chapter 5 used eye tracking-while-reading to investigate the change in word order in variation collocations by presenting collocations in passive constructions. The change in word order did not eliminate the collocation processing advantage in both L1 and L2 speakers.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):