SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Phonological, Semantic and Root Activation
in Spoken Word Recognition in Arabic:
An eye-tracking Study.
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
Abdulrahman Alamri1
Tania Zamuner2
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
1 Department
of Linguistics
University of Ottawa
King Saud University
2 Department
of Linguistics
University of Ottawa
AttLis, 2016
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
Outline
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
Models of SWR for morphologically complex words
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in Semetic anguages
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
Spoken Word Recognition
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
I
Spoken word recognition (SWR) is a complex process
that includes: 1
1. initial lexical contact,
2. activation and competition
3. selection and recognition
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
1
Dahan and Magnuson, 2006, Frauenfelder and Tyler (1987), Weber and Scharenborg (2012)
Models of SWR
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
I
Several properties have been found to be involved in the
process of SWR:
I
I
I
I
I
I
phonology,
semantics
Morphology
lexical frequency,
neighborhood density,
among others.,
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
Models of SWR
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
I
Cohort model (Marslen-Wilson and Welsh, 1978)
I
TRACE ((McClelland and Elman 1986)
I
Shortlist B (Norris and McQueen, 2008)
I
Neighborhood Activation Model (NAM)(Luce, 1986)
I
Distributed Cohort Model (DCM)(Marslen-Wilson and
Gaskell, 1992)
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
Phonological and semantic activation
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
I
Studies using priming and eye-tracking have found
evidence of phonological and semantic activation in
both spoken and visual word recognition 2 .
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
I
Most studies are based on Indo-European languages.
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
2
Allopenna et al., 1998; Apfelbaum et al., 2005; Goldinger et al., 1989; Marslen-Wilson and
Zwitserlood, 1989; Mirman and Magnuson, 2009
SWR in Arabic
Morphology
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
I
I
I
In these languages, a word consists of one or more
morphemic units that contain sequences of segments
that carry both phonological and semantic contents.
When a word has more than one morphemic unit, these
morphemic units are linearly joined (e.g.,
un-employ-ment ).
Research on lexical procesing of morphologically
complex words has provided several hypotheses that can
be summarized into three types of models:
1. Whole-word/full listing models 3
2. Decompositional/full parsing models
3. Dual route models 5
3
4
Bradley, 1980; Butterworth, 1983; Mannelis and Tharp, 1977; Wallis and Knight, 1994
Taft, 1981, 1988, 1994; Taft and Forster, 1975
Baayen, Dijkstra, and Schreuder, 1997; Baayen and Schreuder, 1999; Balling and Baayen, 2008;
Caramazza, Laudanna and Romani, 1988; Gwilliams and Marantz, 2015
4
5
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
Arabic Morphology
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
I
I
6
Semitic languages, such as Arabic, have a non-linear
morphological system .
A word is constructed non-linearly by combining a
consonantal root that conveys the general thematic
meaning and a pattern that conveys morpho-syntactic
information 67
Cantineau, 1950; Rajhi, 1974; McCarthy, 1981
There is some research that suggests that the root and word pattern can be captured by appealing
to a stem as a basic unit (e.g., Hebrew: Bat-El (1994), Ussishkin (1999); Arabic: Benmamoun (1999),
Ratcliffe (1997)
7
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
Arabic morphology
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
Word recognition in Semetic anguages
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
I
Previous research on spoken and visual word recognition
in Semitic languages has provided evidence for the
effect of the consonantal root and pattern (to a lesser
degree) as independent morphemic units involved in
lexical access and word recognition 8
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
8
Hebrew: Deutsch et al (1998), Frost et al (1997), Frost et al (2000); Arabic: Boudella and
Marslen-Wilson (2000), (2001), (2005), (2011), Qasem (2010)
Word recognition in Semetic languages
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
I
I
I
These studies concluded that root and pattern priming
in Semitic languages is not the result of a mere
combined phonological and semantic overlap
Rather, root and pattern priming is a result of an
independent morphological process that decomposes the
Semitic word into its morphemic units (root and
pattern).
These results provide support for the morpheme-based
theories of Semitic morphology and for decompositional
theories of word recognition.
Models of SWR
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
The current Study
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
Objectives
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
I
Exploring the time-course of phonological, semantic and
root activation in SWR in Arabic using the visual world
paradigm with eye-tracking.
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
I
9
Examining whether eye-tracking results produce results
similar to or different from priming and cross-modal
studies regarding the effect of the root in Arabic SWR 9 .
Boudella and Marslen-Wilson (2000), (2015), Ussishkin, et al (2015)
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
Methods
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
I
I
Participants: 28 adult native speakers of Arabic (mean
age = 23 yrs)
Stimuli
15 target words
15 phonological competitors
15 semantically-related competitors
15 root competitors .
.
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
SWR in Arabic
Methods
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
I
Design and procedures
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
Figure: Conditions with examples
Why visual world paradigm with eye-tracking?
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
I
I
It does not require metalinguistic judgments and does
not involve interrupting speech during the task.
It can provide measures that are sensitive enough to
explore the time-course of subtle competitor effects in
SWR.
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
Results
I
Therefore, it can provide insights into the mental
processes involved in language comprehension including
the earliest processes. 10
10
Allopenna, Magnuson, and Tanenhaus (1998); Tanenhaus, Spivey-kowlton, Eberhard and Sedivy
(1995)
Discussion
Acknowledgement
Methods
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
I
Design and procedures
I
Participants presented with four images a target, a
competitor (phonological, semantic or root competitor),
and two unrelated images for 500 ms.
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
I
Participants heard target word and were asked to click
on the target image.
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
Results
I
Their eye movements to the images and their reaction
times (RT) were recorded
Discussion
Acknowledgement
SWR in Arabic
Results
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
I
11
A Growth Curve Analysis was used to analyze
differences in target fixation across conditions.
I
Time bins 20 ms.
I
The first 200 ms were not included in analyses
I
11
12
Eyelink 1000
12
- with a chin rest.
GCA: Mirman (2014); Mirman, Dixon, Magnuson (2008)
SR Research Ltd., Canada
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
Results
Targets vs. Competitors vs. Distractors
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
Results
Conditions vs. Baseline
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
Results
Phonological vs. Semantic
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
Results
Phonological vs. Root
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
Results
Semantic vs. Root
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
Discussion
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
I
Participants’ fixation results showed graded fixations to
targets, competitors and unrelated distractors across
conditions.
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
I
This confirms previous findings that have found graded
competition for related competitors based on the
amount of phonological and semantic overlap with
targets 13 .
13
Huettig Altman, 2005; Huettig McQueen, 2007; Huettig et al, 2006; Mirman Magnuson, 2009; Yee
Sedivy, 2005
Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
Discussion
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
I
I
Significant phonological effect was found, especially
early in the time-course of activation which was
expected as the phonological overlap between targets
and competitors is limited to the first 2-3 segments.
This finding can be accomodated by most models of
SWR
Significant semantic effect was found across the
time-course indicating early and persistent activation of
semantic information. This finding provide support to
SWR models that suggest parallel and/or distributed
activation
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
Discussion
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
I
I
Targets in the root condition received the lowest
fixation which may reflect higher degree of competition
(between targets and competitors) in the root condition
than in the other conditions.
The significant effect of root competitor on fixation
proportions of targets provides converging evidence for
the notion that the Arabic consonantal root is an
important unit in lexical access.
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
Discussion
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
I
These results correspond with and provide support for
the previous findings that have found an effect for the
consonantal root in both spoken and visual word
recognition in Arabic 14 , 15 , and Maltese 16
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
I
They also provide support for the models of
morphological processing that allow morphological
decomposition
14
by Boudella and Marslen-Wilson, (2000),(2001), (2005), (2011), (2015); Mahfoudhi (2005); Qasem
(2006).
15
Hebrew Deutsch et al (1998); Frost et al (1997), Frost et al (2000)
16
Ussishkin, et al 2015
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
Root effect: what does it mean?
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
I
I
The strong root effect found in this study can be
attributed to (1) a prelexical morphological processing
that activates root-related candidates, or (2) due to a
combined phonological and semantic activation
Roots include both phonological and semantic
components, so how do we isolate the unique effect of
the root on processing?
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
Discussion
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
I
I
Follow up studies are currently underway in which we
are manipulating the strength of the semantic
relationship between the root and semantic competitor.
If root activation is found even when semantic
relationship is weak, this would suggest that root
activation is independent of semantics.
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
Acknowledgement
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
I
My Supervisor and co-author Professor Tania Zamuner
Models of SWR
I
Centre for Child Language Research, University of
Ottawa
Arabic morphology
I
King Saud University/ Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
I
The Saudi Cultural Bureau of the Royal Embasy of
Saudi Arabia in Canada
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
I
Saudi Students’ Club in Ottawa
I
Majed Alshehri
I
All our participants
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement
SWR in Arabic
Abdulrahman
Alamri, Tania
Zamuner
Background
Spoken Word Recognition
Models of SWR
Models of SWR for
morphologically complex
words
THANK YOU
Arabic morphology
Word recognition in
Semetic anguages
The Current Study
Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Acknowledgement