Context and Literality in Idiom Processing: Evidence from Self-Paced Reading
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 a...
| Published in: | Journal of Psycholinguistic Research |
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| Main Authors: | , |
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
2020
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10936-020-09719-2 https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10936-020-09719-2.pdf https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10936-020-09719-2/fulltext.html |
| Summary: | 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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