Error rate (%)

(1)

To To what what extent extent does does the the difficulty difficulty of of processing

processing relative clauses relative clauses parallel parallel typological

typological complexity complexity ? ?

Claire Delle Luche Claire Delle Luche Frédérique Gayraud Frédérique Gayraud

Bruno Martinie Bruno Martinie Fanny Meunier

Fanny Meunier--HoenHoen

Laboratoire Dynamique du Langage, Université Lyon 2 Lumière, Lyo

Laboratoire Dynamique du Langage, Université Lyon 2 Lumière, Lyon, Francen, France

(2)

Complexity and language Complexity and language

Quantity = Complexity?

Difficulty = Complexity?

Quantity

Quantity of information isof information is not the predominantnot the predominant factor of complexityfactor of complexity (1) Please(1) Please pickpick up four up four tomatoestomatoes, a pound of , a pound of apricots, prune apricots, prune juicejuice, ,

shallots

shallots, six , six applesapples and a bag of carrotsand a bag of carrots on the on the wayway home.home.

(2) The man

(2) The man thatthat the womanthe woman thatthat the childthe child huggedhugged kissedkissed laughed.laughed.

–– (2) is more difficult to process than (1), the syntactic (2) is more difficult to process than (1), the syntactic

(3)

Introduction (1) Introduction (1)

Relativization in general Relativization in general

–– RCsRCs are sentential modifiers of nouns.are sentential modifiers of nouns.

–– The operation of relativization can be marked by different The operation of relativization can be marked by different ways, but in any case, the relativized constituent is moved ways, but in any case, the relativized constituent is moved

from its canonical position.

–– Main idiosyncratic properties in the world languages:Main idiosyncratic properties in the world languages:

The relativizer can be compulsory (French), optional The relativizer can be compulsory (French), optional

(English, Arabic) or never available (Japanese).

Possible morphological variation of the mark according to Possible morphological variation of the mark according to

the relativized position (French

the relativized position (French vs.vs. Chinese).Chinese).

Possible marking by special verbal morphology (Turkish).

(4)

Introduction (2) Introduction (2)

Relativization in standard French Relativization in standard French

Example

Example : center : center - - embedded embedded O RC O RC

–– The objectThe object NP NP isis movedmoved fromfrom itsits canonical postverbal canonical postverbal position

position

–– PresencePresence of a relativizerof a relativizer

–– The morphologyThe morphology of the relativizer (QUE) of the relativizer (QUE) indicatesindicates the the

(3) L’homme fume. Le chien chasse l’homme.

(4) L’homme que le chien chasse fume.

(4) L’

(4) L’hommehomme que le chien chasse fume.que le chien chasse fume.

(4) L’

(4) L’hommehomme queque le chien chasse fume.le chien chasse fume.

(5)

Introduction (3) Introduction (3)

Difference

Difference between between O and S RCS : O O and S RCS : O RCs RCs (5) (5) more

more difficult difficult to to process process than than S RCS (6) S RCS (6)

(Caplan, & (Caplan, &

Waters, 1999; Ford, 1983;

Waters, 1999; Ford, 1983; FrazierFrazier, 1985; Gibson, 1998, 2000; , 1985; Gibson, 1998, 2000; GouveaGouvea, 2000; King, & , 2000; King, &

Just, 1991;

Just, 1991; TraxlerTraxler, Morris, & , Morris, & SeelySeely, 2002; , 2002; YngveYngve, 1960), 1960)

(5) (5) The reporter The reporter thatthat the the senatorsenator attackedattacked admittedadmitted the the errorerror.. (6) The reporter (6) The reporter thatthat attackedattacked the senatorthe senator admittedadmitted the errorthe error..

Several

Several theoretical theoretical attempts attempts to to account account for the S for the S O O difference difference

Canonical word

Canonical word orderorder Functions

Functions parallelismparallelism

(6)

Canonical word

Canonical word order order

French canonical word order = SVO French canonical word order = SVO

S RC: SV(O) S RC: SV(O)

(7) Le

(7) Le sénateursénateur qui attaquequi attaque le reporter admetle reporter admet l’erreur.l’erreur.

(The senator that attacked the reporter admitted the error.) (The senator that attacked the reporter admitted the error.)

O RC: OSV O RC: OSV

(8) Le

(8) Le sénateursénateur queque le reporter attaquele reporter attaque admetadmet l’erreur.l’erreur.

(The senator that the reporter attacked admitted the error.) (The senator that the reporter attacked admitted the error.)

(7)

Function

Function parallelism parallelism

In a language acquisition perspective, Sheldon In a language acquisition perspective, Sheldon

(1974) claims that

(1974) claims that (9) (9) is easier to process than is easier to process than (10) (10) and and (11), (11), because only in because only in (9), (9), the relativized the relativized NP NP The singer The singer has the same function both in the has the same function both in the

matrix and in the relative clause:

(9) She(9) She despisesdespises the singer thatthe singer that youyou admire.admire.

(10)

(10) The singer The singer thatthat youyou admire admire isis on stage on stage tonighttonight.. (11)

(11) SheShe despisesdespises the singer thatthe singer that isis on stage.on stage.

(8)

Depth

Depth of of embedding embedding

Hawkins (1994) : in a language such as French, a S RC Hawkins (1994) : in a language such as French, a S RC

is predicted to be less complex to process than a O RC.

The reason is the following : in O

The reason is the following : in O RCs RCs , the size of the , the size of the portion of the tree involved in the

portion of the tree involved in the coindexation coindexation between between

t t

and the head noun is larger.

(9)

Working

Working memory memory accounts accounts of RC of RC processing

processing

Working

Working memory memory accounts accounts of RC of RC processing processing : :

–– King, & Just (1991)King, & Just (1991)

–– Caplan, & Waters (1999)Caplan, & Waters (1999)

–– Gibson (1998, 2000): the DLT, a Gibson (1998, 2000): the DLT, a computationalcomputational approach

approach

(10)

Extended

Extended predictions predictions

(12) OG RC:

(12) OG RC: Le sénateur dont le reporter attaque le parti admet l’erreur.Le sénateur dont le reporter attaque le parti admet l’erreur.

The The DLTheory DLTheory

Two Two processing processing costs costs : : memory memory and and integration integration costs

costs

Predictions Predictions

(8) O RC:

(8) O RC: Le Le sénateursénateur queque le reporter le reporter attaqueattaque admetadmet l’erreurl’erreur.. (7) S RC:

(7) S RC: Le Le sénateursénateur qui qui attaqueattaque le reporter le reporter admetadmet l’erreurl’erreur.. 1+21+2 33

33 11

11

(11)

A A typological typological approach approach

The The Accessibility Accessibility Hierarchy Hierarchy

^(Keenan⁽Keenan, & , & ComrieComrie, 1987), 1987)

: :

S > O > IO > OBL > G >

S > O > IO > OBL > G > OCompOComp

Principles Principles : :

–– «« A languageA language must must bebe able to relativize [S position].able to relativize [S position].

–– [Strategies[Strategies applyapply] on a ] on a contiguouscontiguous segment of the AH.segment of the AH.

–– StrategiesStrategies can can thatthat applyapply atat one point of the AH may one point of the AH may cease

cease to to applyapply atat anyany lowerlower levels.levels. » » ^(Keenan⁽Keenan, & , & ComrieComrie, 1987, p. 6), 1987, p. 6)

Examples Examples : :

–– S S onlyonly: Malagasy: Malagasy –– SS-G: French-G: French

(12)

The AH and

The AH and comprehension comprehension

Keenan

Keenan , & Hawkins (1987): , & Hawkins (1987):

repetitionrepetition procedureprocedure

Materials

Materials : :

36 sentences (9 36 sentences (9 differentdifferent positions in the AH)positions in the AH)

(13) S:

(13) S: I know I know thatthat the girl the girl whowho gotgot the the answeranswer right right isis cleverclever.. (14) O:

(14) O: He He rememberedremembered thatthat the sweetsthe sweets whichwhich Dave gave Sally wereDave gave Sally were a treata treat.. (15) OG:

(15) OG: The The factfact thatthat the the sailorsailor whosewhose shipship Jim Jim tooktook hadhad one one legleg isis important.important.

(16)

(16) OCompOComp: He : He rememberedremembered thatthat the girl whothe girl who Jane isJane is olderolder thanthan couldcould read.read.

Results

Results : :

the AH the AH isis supportedsupported by by adultadult and and children’schildren’s datadata

(13)

Predictions Predictions

Canonical word

Canonical word order order Functions

Functions parallelism parallelism

Depth

Depth of of embedding embedding Working

Working memory memory cost cost

S > O, IO, OBL, G S > O, IO, OBL, G

(14)

Our Our experiment experiment

Method Method

–– Participants: 30 native speakers of French (21.26, s.d. Participants: 30 native speakers of French (21.26, s.d.

2.49) 2.49)

–– MaterialsMaterials: 36 : 36 experimentalexperimental sentences, 3 conditions (S, O, sentences, 3 conditions (S, O, OG)OG)

(17) S:

(17) S: La danseuse qui regarde le chanteur appelle le studio La danseuse qui regarde le chanteur appelle le studio (The dancer(The dancer thatthat isis lookinglooking atatthe singer the singer isis callingcallingthe studio)the studio)

(18) O:

(18) O: La danseuse que le chanteur regarde appelle le studio La danseuse que le chanteur regarde appelle le studio (The dancer(The dancer thatthat the singer isthe singer is lookinglooking atat isis callingcallingthe studio)the studio)

(19) OG:

(19) OG: La danseuse dont le chanteur regarde les jambes appelle le La danseuse dont le chanteur regarde les jambes appelle le studio

studio

(15)

Results Results

Participants

Participants with with more more than than 35% of 35% of extreme extreme reading times (<100ms or >1500ms)

reading times (<100ms or >1500ms) were were discarded

discarded , , thus thus leaving leaving 27 for 27 for statistical statistical analysis analysis Comprehension

Comprehension errors errors : :

Significant

Significant effecteffect of RC typeof RC type

Mean error rate

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Error rate (%)

(16)

Reading times (1) Reading times (1)

Regions

Regions of of interest interest : :

–– Object NP of Object NP of the S and OG the S and OG RCsRCs

–– Embedded Embedded verbverb

–– Main clause Main clause verbverb

Mean reading times for each region

400 450 500 550

RT (ms)

S RC O RC OG RC

Mean reading times for each region

400 450 500 550

RT (ms)

S RC O RC OG RC

(17)

Reading times (2) Reading times (2)

Object NP of the S Object NP of the S

and OG

and OG RCs RCs

–– No differenceNo difference

M ean RT for the embedded object NPs

0 200 400 600

RT (ms)

(18)

Reading times (3) Reading times (3)

RC RC verb verb

–– EffectEffect of RC typeof RC type

M ean RT on the RC verb

400 600

RT (ms)

*

M ean RT on the RC verb

400 600

RT (ms)

**

(19)

Reading times (4) Reading times (4)

Main

Main verb verb

–– No No significantsignificant difference

difference

M ean RT on the main verb

200 400 600

RT (ms)

(20)

Discussion (1) Discussion (1)

S S RCs RCs are are faster faster to to read read and and generate generate less less errors

errors than than the the other other types (O, OG) types (O, OG) Different

Different from from previous previous findings findings Different

Different from from what what is is predicted predicted by the by the depth depth of of embedding

embedding and DL and DL theories theories Compatible

Compatible with with canonical word canonical word order order and and

(21)

Discussion (2) Discussion (2)

On On theories theories of of language language processing processing : :

– – Memory Memory cost cost is is not not infirmed infirmed by canonical by canonical word

word order order nor nor functions functions parallelism parallelism theories theories – – Necessity Necessity to to disentangle disentangle canonical word canonical word order order

from from functions functions parallelism parallelism

(22)

Further experiment Further experiment

L’homme

L’homme que que la la femme regarde Parallel

Parallel - -

L’homme

L’homme qui qui regarde

regarde la femme la femme promène

promène le le chien. chien . Parallel

Parallel + +

Canonical Canonical - - Canonical +

Canonical +

L’homme

L’homme regarde regarde la femme qui

La femme

La femme regarde regarde le le chien chien que que

l’homme

l’homme promène promène . .

(23)

Discussion (3) Discussion (3)

Complexity

Complexity = = Difficulty Difficulty ? ? Structural

Structural complexity complexity (depth ( depth of embedding of embedding , , number number of of syntactic syntactic nodes nodes , long distance , long distance dependencies dependencies ) ) does does not automatically not automatically trigger processing trigger processing difficulty difficulty Nevertheless

Nevertheless it it does does not not mean mean that that complex complex sentences are

sentences are easy easy to to process process

The lion

The lion thatthat the the gorillagorilla thatthat the the tigertiger bit bit chasedchased dieddied