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Complement set focus without explicit quantity

  • Joanne Ingram
    ,
  • Linda M. Moxey
Research Output:
Contribution to journal
Article
 Peer-review

Abstract

Production and comprehension of pronominal references may vary depending on whether this is preceded by a statement including a positive or a negative natural language quantifier (NLQ). After a negative NLQ there is a preference to refer to the complement set, a set not explicitly mentioned (Moxey & Sanford, 1987). We report two experiments which examine whether a property of the NLQ, or some alternative factor is responsible for this pattern of reference. According to the Presupposition Denial Account, complement set reference arises when the shortfall between a previously expected amount and a smaller amount, denoted by an NLQ, is made salient (Moxey, 2006). Using a character's implicit desire and positive versus negative emotion words, we manipulate the prominence of the shortfall. Results from a language production task show that when there is a large difference between what a character is likely to want and the amount that can be inferred from a negative emotion word there is an increase in production of complement set references. An eye movement study shows that, if a shortfall has been made salient in this way, a reference set reference leads to disruption during reading. These results are consistent with the Presupposition Denial Account.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output:
Contribution to journal
Article
 Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 383-400

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Journal of Cognitive Psychology (Volume 23, Issue 3)

Publication milestones

  • Published - 21/05/2012

Publication status

Published - 21/05/2012

ISSN

2044-5911

Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/224963
  • Scopus: 79959347156

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