Imagine you’re telling a story, and you want to mention a character that’s already been mentioned before. Do you use the character’s name or refer to them with a pronoun like ‘he’ or ‘she’? That decision is influenced by something called ‘topicality’ – how important or relevant the character is in the current context. Researchers wanted to understand how topicality affects the choice of referential form in Mandarin, specifically with null and overt pronouns. Experiment 1 showed that when a character was highly important or relevant (topical), speakers tended to use null pronouns, while less important characters were referred to using overt pronouns. Experiment 2 found that the predictability of the character also played a role – more predictable characters were referred to with null pronouns. These findings suggest that topicality influences the use of reduced expressions in language production, with the most reduced form being preferred for highly topical and predictable referents. To delve deeper into this fascinating research, check out the full article!
Abstract
Many models of reference production suggest that speakers tend to use a reduced referential form, such as a pronoun, to signal the topicality of a particular referent, that is, the Topichood Hypothesis. However, little is known about the precise nature of the mapping between topichood and referential form and the mechanisms by which topichood affects referential form. The current study aims to address these issues by investigating how topicality influences different kinds of reduced expressions, namely, null and overt pronouns in Mandarin. We manipulated topicality using a left-dislocation structure in Experiment 1. We found that topicality increased the use of null pronouns, but not overt pronouns. This suggests that topicality may increase only the most reduced expression available in a given language. Experiment 2 examined whether the topicality effect was related to predictability. We found that participants used more null pronouns for less predictable referents. We suggest that the topicality effect could be better explained by an accessibility mechanism.
Dr. David Lowemann, M.Sc, Ph.D., is a co-founder of the Institute for the Future of Human Potential, where he leads the charge in pioneering Self-Enhancement Science for the Success of Society. With a keen interest in exploring the untapped potential of the human mind, Dr. Lowemann has dedicated his career to pushing the boundaries of human capabilities and understanding.
Armed with a Master of Science degree and a Ph.D. in his field, Dr. Lowemann has consistently been at the forefront of research and innovation, delving into ways to optimize human performance, cognition, and overall well-being. His work at the Institute revolves around a profound commitment to harnessing cutting-edge science and technology to help individuals lead more fulfilling and intelligent lives.
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