[Corpora-List] Results of the pilot study

[Khan, I. H.]

Dear corpora list members,
 
In a previous task-based study, in the NPs of the form: the Adj Noun1 and Noun2, we found that:
 
If Adj has high collocational frequency with Noun1 and low collocational frequency with Noun2, then Adj has narrow-scope reading (i.e., [Adj Noun1] and Noun2). Our definitions of high/low collocational frequencies are based on Kilgarriff's Sketch Engine database operating on the BNC. (Our findings are a further confirmation of Chantree et al's findings.)
 
In the present study, we included two adjectives, which could have different collocational frequencies with the nouns they modify. The results of the small pilot study are as following.
 
Participants were computing science staff members at the Uni of Aberdeen, and corpora list members ( Total = 45; 33 Native, 12 Non-native but fluent in English).
 
 

                  The pattern explored: the Adj1 Adj2 Noun1 and Noun2

 
Condition

Expected Reading

Average 

Participants' Agreement with the Expected Reading

Adj1 and Adj2 have high collocational frequency with Noun1 and Noun2.

Example: the tall young men and women

Adj1 and Adj2 have wide-scope

43 / 45

Adj1 has high collocational frequency with Noun1 and Noun2; Adj2 has high collocational frequency with Noun1, and low collocational frequency with Noun2.

Example: the old bearded men and women

Adj1 has wide-scope; Adj2 has narrow-scope

39 / 45

Adj1 has high collocational frequency with Noun1, and low collocational frequency with Noun2; Adj2 has high collocational frequency with Noun1 and Noun2.

Example: the bearded old men and women

* Undefined

 

34 / 45

Adj1 and Adj2 have high collocational frequency with Noun1, and low collocational frequency with Noun2.

Example: the handsome bearded men and women

Adj1 and Adj2 have narrow-scope

40 / 45

 

* Adj2 applies to Noun2, but Adj1 does not. That is, the bracketing like: 

      the bearded [1old [2 men]1 and women]2, seems to be impossible. In this example, if a participant says: women are old, but not bearded, we count it as undefined.
 
Your comments and suggestions shall be appreciated.
 
 
Regards
 
 
Imtiaz H. Khan
PhD Research Student
Computing Science Department
University of Aberdeen
http://www.csd.abdn.ac.uk/~ikhan/ <https://mail.abdn.ac.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=https://mail.abdn.ac.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.csd.abdn.ac.uk/~ikhan/> 


The University of Aberdeen is a charity registered in Scotland, No SC013683.
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