32.1502, Qs: Input from Linguists/Semanticists: “Negation task” to Study Semantic Components – is there a file drawer problem?

[The LINGUIST List]

LINGUIST List: Vol-32-1502. Fri Apr 30 2021. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 32.1502, Qs: Input from Linguists/Semanticists: “Negation task” to Study Semantic Components – is there a file drawer problem?

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Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2021 12:16:42
From: Sam Theunissen [s.theunissen at student.ru.nl]
Subject: Input from Linguists/Semanticists: “Negation task” to Study Semantic Components – is there a file drawer problem?

 
Dear researchers,
 
I am working on the lexical semantics of verbs as part of my master's at
Radboud University. We are thinking of creating an online experiment in the
form of a so-called 'negation task' as used by Schreuder (1978) and referenced
in Levelt et al. (1978). In this task, people are asked to complete sentences
like the following with another motion verb:
 
“They do not walk, but they …”
 
The goal of the task is to identify the semantic components that are most
salient for the meaning of a given verb. This builds on the principle of
minimal negation, according to which negation will only affect the asserted
meaning, but not the presupposed meaning of a word. For example, “Leslie is
not a knight” does not negate that Leslie is a man (a presupposition of
knight), but only that he has been raised to honorary military rank (the
assertion of knight) (see Miller, 1969). 

However, the study by Levelt et al. is the only empirical paper we have been
able to find to have reported a negation task – this is the reason I am
looking for input from other researchers.
 
I wonder if the negation task cannot be found in the literature because it
simply has been forgotten about, or because it was used in studies that ended
up not being published? In order to know if we are dealing with a file-drawer
problem regarding the negation task, we would like to hear from you.
 
If you have ever used the negation task (be it with verbs or a different type
of words), please let me know by sending an e-mail to
s.theunissen at student.ru.nl. It would be wonderful if you could add a brief
summary of your results to your e-mail. That would help us gain insight into
the effectiveness of the task.
 
I hope to hear from some of you! Thank you in advance.
 
Best regards,
Sam Theunissen

Levelt, W. J. M., Schreuder, R., & Hoenkamp, E. (1978). Structure and use of
verbs of motion. Recent Advances in the Psychology of Language, 137–162.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-2532-1_8
Miller, G. A. (1969). A psychological method to investigate verbal concepts.
Journal of Mathematical Psychology, 6(2), 169–191.
https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-2496(69)90001-7
Schreuder, R. (1978). Studies in psycholexicology with special reference to
verbs of motion [Doctoral dissertation]. University of Nijmegen.
 

Linguistic Field(s): Psycholinguistics
                     Semantics



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