The processing of tense : psycholinguistic studies on the interpretation of tense and temporal relations / by Michael Walsh Dickey.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Dickey, Michael Walsh.

Series:

Studies in theoretical psycholinguistics ; v. 28.

Studies in theoretical psycholinguistics ; v. 28

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Grammar, Comparative and general--Tense.

Grammar, Comparative and general.

Grammar, Comparative and general--Temporal constructions.

Psycholinguistics.

Physical Description:

xiii, 310 pages ; 23 cm.

Place of Publication:

Dordrecht ; Boston : Kluwer Academic Publishers, [2001]

Contents:

1. The Problem: The Processing of Tense 1

2. Empirical Phenomena 6

2.1. Temporal anaphora 6

2.2. Temporal adverbs and adverb preposing 9

2.3. The Sequence-of-Tense ambiguity 12

3. Structure and Interpretation of Tense 15

3.1. Quantificational versus referential views of tense 16

3.2. Bringing together quantificational and referential properties: The ambiguity of the English simple past 20

3.3. Formal representation of the semantic content of tense 26

3.4. Summary and implications for the processing of tense 31

4. Structure of the Language Processor and Hypotheses 32

4.1. Assumptions regarding the HSPM 32

4.2. Simplicity versus Parsimony 40

4.3. Predictions and hypotheses 46

5. Contents of the Book 52

Chapter 2 Interpreting Aspectp 55

2. The Special Role of Preposed Adverbials in Temporal Interpretation 57

2.1. Temporal adverbials 57

2.2. Preposed adverbials as Reference Time providers 60

2.3. Preposed adverbials as sentence-external elements 69

3. The Discourse Function of Adverb Preposing and the Adverbial Domains Hypothesis 74

3.1. Preposed adverbials as discourse segment markers 74

3.2. The Adverbial Domains Hypothesis 79

4. Aspect and the Role of Rhetorical Relations 82

4.1. The contribution of rhetorical relations to temporal interpretation 82

4.2. Implications for the ADH 91

5. Study 1-Preposing and Aspect Interpretation 93

5.2. Study 93

6. Study 2

Preposing and Aspect Interpretation Redux 102

6.2. Study 103

Chapter 3 Interpreting TenseP 115

2. Representing Temporal Anaphora 117

2.1. TP and temporal anaphora 117

2.2. Alternative approaches to tense and temporal anaphora 121

2.3. Summary and implications for processing of tense 124

3. Anaphora Resolution 125

3.1. Definite NPs and pronouns 126

3.2. Other types of anaphora resolution 131

3.3. Temporal anaphora

an indirect test 134

4. Hypotheses Regarding the Interpretation of TP 138

5. Study 3

Temporal Context Clash 140

5.2. Study 141

6. Study 4

Minimal Events and TP Interpretation 147

6.2. Study 151

Chapter 4 Sequence of Tense and Simplicity 165

2. Representing the SOT Ambiguity 167

2.1. The facts of SOT phenomena 167

2.2. Representing SOT 174

2.3. Alternative approaches to SOT 179

2.4. Summary and implications for resolving the ambiguity 180

3. Previous Results 181

4. Hypotheses Regarding the Resolution of SOT Ambiguities 183

5. Study 5

Pilot SOT Questionnaire Study 187

5.2. Study 187

6. Study 6

SOT Questionaire Study: Adverb Effects 195

6.2. Study 196

7. Study 7

SOT On-Line 202

7.2. Study 202

Chapter 5 Conclusions and Remaining Questions 213

1. The Questions 213

2. Implications for Models of the Processor: Structure-Driven or Discourse-Driven? 217

3. Implications for the Representation of Tense and Temporal Relations: One Interpretive Step or Two? 219

4. Questions for Further Research 222

4.1. Interpreting TenseP 222

4.2. Interpreting AspectP 223

4.3. Different methodologies 225

4.4. Larger issues 227

Appendix A Materials for Study 1, Preposing and Aspect Interpretation 231

Appendix B Materials for Study 2, Preposing and Aspect Interpretation Redux 237

Appendix C Materials for Study 3, Temporal Context Clash 246

Appendix D Materials for Study 4, Minimal Events and TP Interpretation 250

Appendix E Materials for Study 5, SOT Pilot Questionnaire 277

Appendix F Materials for Study 6, SOT Questionnaire: Adverb Effects 280

Appendix G Materials for Study 7, Sot On-Line 294.

Notes:

Revision of the author's thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 2000.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 297-305) and index.

ISBN:

1402001843

1402001851

OCLC:

48265581