title: The formulaic schema in the minds of two generations of native speakers.
abstract: Schemata are expressions that are fixed except for slots available for novel words (I'm not a ______ person). Our goals were to quantify speakers' knowledge, examine semantic flexibility in open slots, and compare performance data in two generations of speakers using cloze procedures in formulaic expressions, schemata open slots, fixed portions of schemata, and novel sentences. Fewer unique words appeared for the schemata-fixed and formulaic exemplars, reflecting speakers' knowledge of these utterances; the most semantic categories appeared for schemata-open responses. Age groups did not differ. Schemata exemplify creative interplay between novel lexical retrieval and fixed formulaic expression.
authors.affiliation: Communicative Sciences and Disorders, New York University, 665 Broadway, New York, NY 10012 ; Brain and Behavior Laboratory, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY 10961.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Van Lancker Sidtis
authors.affiliation: Brain and Behavior Laboratory, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY 10961.
authors.forename: Krista
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.affiliation: Communicative Sciences and Disorders, New York University, 665 Broadway, New York, NY 10012 ; Brain and Behavior Laboratory, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY 10961.
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bridges
authors.affiliation: Brain and Behavior Laboratory, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY 10961 ; Department of Psychiatry, New York University Langone School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016.
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sidtis