Abstract
Two experiments are reported that test the hypothesis that a reader can make use of the size of the semantic domain activated by a sentence context when inferring the meaning of a partially known word. We investigated words at three levels of knowledge: known, frontier, and unknown (e.g., Durso & Shore, 1991). Experiment I demonstrated that participants have knowledge about the meanings of words that they deny are part of the language (the unknown level), and that they make use of relative differences in the size of the semantic domains tapped by two sentences when asked to decide on correct usage of these unknown words. Experiment 2 demonstrated that participants have knowledge about the general semantic constraints operating on their unknown words, even when relative differences in size of semantic domains are controlled. Implications for the role of contextual constraints in vocabulary acquisition are discussed.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 145-163 |
| Number of pages | 19 |
| Journal | Journal of Psycholinguistic Research |
| Volume | 28 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Mar 1999 |
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The role of sentence context in accessing partial knowledge of word meanings. / Shore, Wendelyn J.; Kempe, Vera.
In: Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, Vol. 28, No. 2, 03.1999, p. 145-163.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - The role of sentence context in accessing partial knowledge of word meanings
AU - Shore, Wendelyn J.
AU - Kempe, Vera
PY - 1999/3
Y1 - 1999/3
N2 - Two experiments are reported that test the hypothesis that a reader can make use of the size of the semantic domain activated by a sentence context when inferring the meaning of a partially known word. We investigated words at three levels of knowledge: known, frontier, and unknown (e.g., Durso & Shore, 1991). Experiment I demonstrated that participants have knowledge about the meanings of words that they deny are part of the language (the unknown level), and that they make use of relative differences in the size of the semantic domains tapped by two sentences when asked to decide on correct usage of these unknown words. Experiment 2 demonstrated that participants have knowledge about the general semantic constraints operating on their unknown words, even when relative differences in size of semantic domains are controlled. Implications for the role of contextual constraints in vocabulary acquisition are discussed.
AB - Two experiments are reported that test the hypothesis that a reader can make use of the size of the semantic domain activated by a sentence context when inferring the meaning of a partially known word. We investigated words at three levels of knowledge: known, frontier, and unknown (e.g., Durso & Shore, 1991). Experiment I demonstrated that participants have knowledge about the meanings of words that they deny are part of the language (the unknown level), and that they make use of relative differences in the size of the semantic domains tapped by two sentences when asked to decide on correct usage of these unknown words. Experiment 2 demonstrated that participants have knowledge about the general semantic constraints operating on their unknown words, even when relative differences in size of semantic domains are controlled. Implications for the role of contextual constraints in vocabulary acquisition are discussed.
U2 - 10.1023/A:1023258224980
DO - 10.1023/A:1023258224980
M3 - Article
VL - 28
SP - 145
EP - 163
JO - Journal of Psycholinguistic Research
JF - Journal of Psycholinguistic Research
SN - 0090-6905
IS - 2
ER -