Lexical priming and the selection and sequencing of synonyms
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Linda Bawcom
Abstract
Detailed corpus-based research has identified factors that describe various reasons for the preference of one synonymous lexical item over another (or others). This paper continues along these descriptive lines while presenting the versatility of synonyms and their functions. In addition to statistical results, we also investigate the psychological reasons for our choices by exploring what is referred to in psycholinguistic priming tasks as the frequency effect. We will find that this psychological, subliminal effect can importantly add explanation to description for corpus-based studies, which finely dovetails with Hoey’s theory of Lexical Priming.
Abstract
Detailed corpus-based research has identified factors that describe various reasons for the preference of one synonymous lexical item over another (or others). This paper continues along these descriptive lines while presenting the versatility of synonyms and their functions. In addition to statistical results, we also investigate the psychological reasons for our choices by exploring what is referred to in psycholinguistic priming tasks as the frequency effect. We will find that this psychological, subliminal effect can importantly add explanation to description for corpus-based studies, which finely dovetails with Hoey’s theory of Lexical Priming.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Foreword ix
- Introduction xi
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Part I. Discourse analysis
- Cohesion and coherence in a content-specific corpus 3
- A corpus-based investigation into English representations of Turks and Ottomans in the early modern period 41
- Forced lexical primings in transdiscoursive political messaging 67
- Can lexical priming be detected in conversation turn-taking strategies? 93
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Part II. Similes, synonymy and metaphors
- Lexical priming and the selection and sequencing of synonyms 121
- Lexical priming and metaphor – Evidence of nesting in metaphoric language 141
- Teaching near-synonyms more effectively 163
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Part III. Collocations, associations and priming
- Lexical priming and register variation 189
- Colligational effects of collocation 231
-
Part IV. Language learning and teaching
- Lexical and morphological priming 253
- Concordancing lexical primings 273
- Notes on authors 297
- Index 303
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Foreword ix
- Introduction xi
-
Part I. Discourse analysis
- Cohesion and coherence in a content-specific corpus 3
- A corpus-based investigation into English representations of Turks and Ottomans in the early modern period 41
- Forced lexical primings in transdiscoursive political messaging 67
- Can lexical priming be detected in conversation turn-taking strategies? 93
-
Part II. Similes, synonymy and metaphors
- Lexical priming and the selection and sequencing of synonyms 121
- Lexical priming and metaphor – Evidence of nesting in metaphoric language 141
- Teaching near-synonyms more effectively 163
-
Part III. Collocations, associations and priming
- Lexical priming and register variation 189
- Colligational effects of collocation 231
-
Part IV. Language learning and teaching
- Lexical and morphological priming 253
- Concordancing lexical primings 273
- Notes on authors 297
- Index 303
