
Meaning Predictability in Word Formation
Novel, context-free naming units
Pavol Stekauer(Author)
John Benjamins Publishing Co
Published on 18. March 2005
Book
Hardback
288 pages
978-90-272-1563-5 (ISBN)
Description
This book aims to contribute to a growing interest amongst psycholinguists and morphologists in the mechanisms of meaning predictability. It presents a brand-new model of the meaning-prediction of novel, context-free naming units, relating the wordformation and wordinterpretation processes. Unlike previous studies, mostly focussed on N+N compounds, the scope of this book is much wider. It not only covers all types of complex words, but also discusses a whole range of predictability-boosting and -reducing conditions. Two measures are introduced, the Predictability Rate and the Objectified Predictability Rate, in order to compare the strength of predictable readings both within a word and relative to the most predictable readings of other coinages. Four extensive experiments indicate inter alia the equal predicting capacity of native and non-native speakers, the close interconnection between linguistic and extra-linguistic factors, the important role of prototypical semes, and the usual dominance of a single central reading.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Amsterdam
Netherlands
Target group
Primary & secondary/elementary & high school
Dimensions
Height: 245 mm
Width: 164 mm
Weight
700 gr
ISBN-13
978-90-272-1563-5 (9789027215635)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
03/2005
1st Edition
John Benjamins Publishing Company
€149.99
Available for download
Person
Content
1. Acknowledgements; 2. List of Abbreviations; 3. Introduction; 4. 1. Literature survey; 5. 2. General word formation framework; 6. 3. A theory of predictability; 7. 4. The Experiments; 8. 5. Conclusions; 9. Notes; 10. References; 11. Author Index; 12. Subject Index