Detection of phrase boundaries in the processing of center-embedded English sentences

Abstract

Previous studies have indicated that poor readers are less sensitive to phrase boundaries when reading texts than good readers. This study explores the causes of the difficulty in detecting phrase boundaries while reading English sentences from the perspective of Japanese speakers who may be regarded as less proficient readers of English. In the study, 40 undergraduate students read two kinds of center-embedded sentences—object relative (OR) and subject relative (SR) sentences—and normal sentences with and without phrase boundary cues that were signaled by slashes. The OR sentences were incompatible with a strategy of inferring sentence structure, which is believed to be a cause of the difficulty in detecting phrase boundaries. The results show that phrase boundary cues decreased reading durations and facilitated comprehension for OR sentences, while the cues did not have any significant effects on the SR or the normal sentences. Accordingly, it is argued that the detection of phrase boundaries within OR sentences is more difficult than within the other types of sentences, which indicates that the inappropriateness of the strategy of inferring sentence structure could be a factor for the difficulty in detecting phrase boundaries.View full abstract