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The failure to use gender information in parsing: A comment on van Berkum, Brown, and Hagoort (1999)

Brysbaert, M. and Mitchell, D.C. (2000) The failure to use gender information in parsing: A comment on van Berkum, Brown, and Hagoort (1999). [Journal (Paginated)]

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Abstract

We critically review the empirical evidence published by van Berkum, Brown and Hagoort (1999a, 1999b) against syntax-first models of sentence parsing. According to van Berkum et al., discourse factors and word gender information are used instantaneously to guide the parser. First, we note that the density of the experimental trials (relative to fillers) and the slow presentation rate of the van Berkum et al. design seem likely to have elicited the use of tactics involving rapid re-analysis of the material. Second, we present new data from a questionnaire study showing that the grammatical gender information of a relative pronoun in Dutch is often completely ignored, even during the wrap-up at the end of the sentence.

Item Type:Journal (Paginated)
Keywords:sentence parsing
Subjects:Psychology > Cognitive Psychology
ID Code:3445
Deposited By: brysbaert, Dr. marc
Deposited On:04 Mar 2004
Last Modified:11 Mar 2011 08:55

References in Article

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