engleski

The interpretation of vague predicats - experimental insights

In this presentation, we report on the results of a series of experimental studies exploring ‘ordinary’ speakers’ interpretation and processing of vague gradable adjectives. The first set of experiments seeks to understand how speakers behave when presented with a gradable adjective (e.g., large) coupled with a set of visual images representing a Sorities series (e.g., pictures of suitcases ranging from very large to very small). The second set of experiments explores how the distribution of items in a comparison class affects the interpretation of gradable adjectives. Finally, the third set of experiments uses an Event Related Potential (ERP) technique to profile brain activity during processing of vague color words (e.g., red) when paired with clear case vs. borderline stimuli. Taken together, these new empirical findings provide a potentially valuable testing ground for formal theories of vagueness.

vagueness; ERP; color perception

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