试论语境条件下限定词的必要性——再谈主语关系从句的加工优势

On the Necessity of Determiner Phrases in Contexts:Subject Relative Preference Revisited

在汉语主、宾语关系从句加工优势这一问题上,(受频率驱动)基于经验的理论与基于记忆的理论做出不同的预测,但是实证研究的结果不一。本文指出,已有大多数研究中,从句内的两个名词短语均采用了光杆形式,而这违反了关系从句的使用前提,即从一个集合中选取某个特定的、独特的个体。汉语中由远指词"那"构成的限定词,与英语的定冠词最为接近,可满足使用关系从句的功能、语用前提,特别是在有语境的情况下。本文在Gibson and Wu(2013)的基础上,增加限定词这一变量,并完善其实验刺激中存在的两大缺陷。自控步反应时的结果显示,在关键区即中心名词的位置以及其后的区域,均发现主语关系从句的加工优势。该结果与基于记忆的理论预测不符。相反,本研究支持基于经验的理论。

（Frequency-driven） experience-based and working-memory-based theories make contrastive predictions regarding whether subject relatives are easier to process than object relatives in Chinese. However, existing results yield inconsistent patterns. We note that most studies used two bare nominals within relative clauses （ RCs）, but this seems to violate the presuppositions of RC usage, that is, to single out one specific, identifiable entity out of a set. A determiner phrase containing the distal demonstrative na in Chinese is closest to the definite article in English, thus satis- fying the functional/pragmatic premise for RC usage, particularly in the presence of RC-biasing discourse contexts. Building upon Gibson and Wu（2013 ）, we crossed Determiner Phrase and RC Type, while taking care of two problematic aspects of their original stimuli. Results of our self-paced reading study showed a consistent subject-relative advantage at the critical head noun and spillover regions. Our findings are contrary to the predictions of memory-based integration-cost metric, but are consistent with experience-based theories.