Lexical Ambiguity Resolution: Languages, Tasks, And Timing
Kathleen Ahrens · 1998
In this chapter, the author discusses the evidence that pertains to each model, and then points out that lexical ambiguity resolution must be looked at within the paradigms of natural speech comprehension and reading comprehension separately in order to better understand the nature of lexical access. He points out that the findings in lexical ambiguity resolution differ along language lines, and postulates a hypothesis that accounts for this fact. The author then tests this hypothesis, and at the same time tests the context-dependent hypothesis, and finds that neither hypothesis holds. He revises the original language-driven hypothesis, and also suggests other methodological reasons for the discrepancies in the English and Italian results. He argues that the findings for a modified selective access account are actually accountable for within a context independent framework, and limited to Italian.