title: Pre- and post-head processing for single- and double-scrambled sentences of a head-final language as measured by the eye tracking method.
abstract: Using the eye-tracking method, the present study depicted pre- and post-head processing for simple scrambled sentences of head-final languages. Three versions of simple Japanese active sentences with ditransitive verbs were used: namely, (1) SO₁O₂V canonical, (2) SO₂O₁V single-scrambled, and (3) O₁O₂SV double-scrambled order. First pass reading times indicated that the third noun phrase just before the verb in both single- and double-scrambled sentences required longer reading times compared to canonical sentences. Re-reading times (the sum of all fixations minus the first pass reading) showed that all noun phrases including the crucial phrase before the verb in double-scrambled sentences required longer re-reading times than those required for single-scrambled sentences; single-scrambled sentences had no difference from canonical ones. Therefore, a single filler-gap dependency can be resolved in pre-head anticipatory processing whereas two filler-gap dependencies require much greater cognitive loading than a single case. These two dependencies can be resolved in post-head processing using verb agreement information.
authors.affiliation: Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan, ktamaoka@lang.nagoya-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Katsuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tamaoka
authors.forename: Michiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asano
authors.forename: Yayoi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyaoka
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yokosawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D053483:Eye Movement Measurements; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D011578:Psycholinguistics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D011932:Reading; D055815:Young Adult