University of Rochester
Grant: $286,895 - National Science Foundation - May. 27, 2009
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Award Description: When speakers encode their thoughts into linguistic utterances, they often can choose between several different ways of conveying the same message. For example, English speakers may use an active or a passive. They are more likely to choose a passive over an active if the patient, but not the agent, is human and hence more accessible ('The girl was struck by lightning'). Such accessibility effects are well-established for a small set of (mostly related) languages, and have had a tremendous influence on linguistic and psycholinguistic theory. Yet, the languages previously studied psycholinguistically are unsuited for distinguishing competing accounts of accessibility effects. For example, according to availability accounts, speakers prefer to mention the more accessible referent earlier in the sentence. According to certain alignment accounts, on the other hand, speakers prefer to make the most accessible referent the subject of the sentence. Both accounts correctly predict English passive vs. active choice. To address these questions, this study will look at morphosyntactic variations in a language that is typologically very different from English: Yucatec (Mayan). The studies will exploit properties of Yucatec to distinguish between accessibility accounts where previously studied languages fail to do so. The studies will also contribute to the establishment of an interdisciplinary research program of field-based psycholinguistics. Since most of the world's languages are spoken far away from psycholinguistic laboratories, it is crucial to adapt and apply psycholinguistic methods to the study of variation under field conditions, where participant recruiting is a non-trivial issue and familiarity with the very concept of an 'experiment' cannot be assumed. The research will employ two types of production methodologies, recall studies and video description tasks, as well as grammaticality ratings. Production studies are the primary methodology of psycholinguists working on choice in language production, providing quantitative data on what speakers produce. Grammaticality ratings are the primary methodology of theoretical linguists employed in fieldwork. This method will be extended to a quantitative level, making it possible to study gradient preferences in alternations. By using both methods, the relevance and accessibility of the results will be increased for both research communities. In addition to their relevance for psycholinguistic research, the studies will close significant gaps in the scientific record of the grammar of Yucatec, for which close to no quantitative record of syntactic variation exists. This data will help to distinguish between competing analyses of Yucatec syntax, and will contribute to syntactic typology.
Project Description: Hired two graduate researchers as primary field researchers. Training has started this week. Students are taught Yucatec (2 hours each week) and psycholinguistic theory and methodology (2 hours each week).Two computers and monitors have been purchased for the graduate students. Backup material has been purchased. Hired 5 undergraduate researchers through REU program to be trained in transcription and experiment preparation. Training has started (bi-weekly meetings with all RAs). We employ two types of production methodologies, recall studies and video description tasks, as well as grammaticality ratings. Grammaticality ratings are the primary methodology employed in fieldwork. We extend this method to a quantitative level, making it possible to study gradient preferences for variants in alternations. Production studies are the primary methodology of psycholinguists working on choice in language production, providing quantitative data on what speakers produce. By using both methods, we increase the relevance and accessibility of our results for both research communities. In addition to their pertinence for psycholinguistic research, our studies will close significant gaps in the scientific record of the grammar of our two target languages, for which close to no quantitative record of syntactic variation exists. This data will help to distinguish between competing analyses of Yucatec syntax, and will contribute to syntactic typology.
Jobs Summary: The University of Rochester created/retained an Assistant Professor, Graduate Research Assistant, Laboratory Technician, and Student. (Total jobs reported: 2)
Project Status: Less Than 50% Completed
This award's data was last updated on May. 27, 2009. Help expand these official descriptions using the wiki below.
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