Suvremena lingvistika, Vol. 43 No. 83, 2017.
Izvorni znanstveni članak
Limits on the extension of affixal combination: structural restrictions and processing conditions
Alexandra Soares Rodrigues
orcid.org/0000-0003-0946-316X
; ESE – Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, CELGA–ILTEC – University of Coimbra
Sažetak
The study of the mental lexicon has been fostered by the analysis of the way complex
words are mentally represented and processed. This paper concerns the syntagmatic extension of multiple affixation; specifically, the processing of complex words that contain four
suffixes that operate in word–formation patterns of Portuguese. Although the individual
addition of suffixes obeys structural constraints, the multiple combination results in complex words with low frequency and low expectedness by the speaker, which contribute to
the lack of semantic transparency and of affixal salience of the combination. Our study
demonstrates a relation between these factors and the experience of the speaker with
the affixal combination, which determines the pattern character of the combination. We
suggest that a suffix exerts the prediction of other suffixes as long as the combination is
expected. Non–frequent heterocategorial complex words with a combination of four suffixes
are contrasted with non–frequent words containing pleonastic affixation. In the latter type
of words, the redundancy of semantic structures increases the semantic transparency of
the word, which suggests a prediction effect operating on the semantic level of the affixal
combination. Processing of complex words is dependent on the level of expectedness of
the speaker towards the affix combination, which constrains the level of word acceptance
by speakers.
Ključne riječi
affixal combination; word-formation patterns; semantic transparency; mental lexicon; Portuguese
Hrčak ID:
184924
URI
Datum izdavanja:
21.7.2017.
Posjeta: 1.385 *