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The processing of verb-argument constructions is sensitive to form, function, frequency, contingency and prototypicality
Open accessAbstract
We used free association and verbal fluency tasks to investigate verb-argument constructions (VACs) and the ways in which their processing is sensitive to statistical patterns of usage (verb type-token frequency distribution, VAC-verb contingency, verb-VAC semantic prototypicality). In experiment 1, 285 native speakers of English generated the first word that came to mind to fill the V slot in 40 sparse VAC frames such as `he ____ across the. . . .', `it ____ of the. . . .', etc. In experiment 2, 40 English speakers generated as many verbs that fit each frame as they could think of in a minute. For each VAC, we compared the results from the experiments with corpus analyses of verb selection preferences in 100 million words of usage and with the semantic network structure of the verbs in these VACs. For both experiments, multiple regression analyses predicting the frequencies of verb types generated for each VAC show independent contributions of (i) verb frequency in the VAC, (ii) VAC-verb contingency and (iii) verb prototypicality in terms of centrality within the VAC semantic network. VAC processing involves rich associations, tuned by verb type and token frequencies and their contingencies of usage, which interface syntax, lexis and semantics. We consider the implications for the mental representation of VACs.
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“Reliability has been shown to influence language change (Bybee, 1985) as well as accuracy and error patterns in L1 (N. C. Ellis, O'Donnell, & Römer, 2014;Hay, 2001;Matthews & Theakston, 2006;Tatsumi et al., 2018) and L2 processing and acquisition (N.C. Ellis et al., 2014;Sugaya & Shirai, 2009).”
From Effects of Availability, Contingency, and Formulaicity on the Accuracy of English Grammatical Morphemes in Second Language Writing (2022) · cites this paper as N. C. Ellis, O'Donnell, & Römer, 2014
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“This finding is consistent with findings reported in the previous literature on usage-based theories that have repeatedly demonstrated the facilitative role of contingency in language acquisition, processing, and use (e.g., N. C. Ellis et al., 2014;Matthews & Theakston, 2006).”
From Effects of Availability, Contingency, and Formulaicity on the Accuracy of English Grammatical Morphemes in Second Language Writing (2022) · cites this paper as N. C. Ellis et al., 2014
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Murao, R., Webb, S., Shirono, H., Isaji, T., Tanemura, S., Ishida, T., Yoshikawa, L., Ishikawa, J., Honda, A., Matsuura, R., et al. (2026) · Applied Linguistics · doi:10.1093/applin/amag066
Fang, N., & Elgort, I. (2026) · Research Methods in Applied Linguistics · doi:10.1016/j.rmal.2026.100367
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Metadata
- Authors
- Ellis, N. C., O'Donnell, M. B., & Römer, U.
- Affiliations
- University of Michigan (US)
- 2University of Michigan, Communication Neuroscience Lab, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Georgia State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Ellis, Nick C.
- Venue
- Cognitive Linguistics
- Publisher
- Walter de Gruyter GmbH
- Published
- 2014-02-01
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 55-98
- ISSN
- 0936-5907 (ISSN-L)
- 1613-3641
- OpenAlex
- W2034072710
- Cited by
- 113
- References
- 116
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 28 · 2014: 4
- FWCI
- 98.82
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Locations
- Cognitive Linguistics (publishedVersion)
- Deep Blue (University of Michigan) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Victoria University of Wellington
- Victoria University
- Bangor University
- Economic and Social Research Council
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Language and Linguistics › Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Categorization, perception, and language
- Keywords
- verb processing, verb frequency, semantic networks, free association, verbal fluency, usage statistics
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