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The mental lexicon in language processing.
Authors:
Marslen-Wilson, W.D.
Reference:
In W. Bright (Ed.), International Encyclopedia of Linguistics (pp. 273-276). New York: Oxford University Press.
Year of publication:
1992
CBU number:
2440
Abstract:
This article describes the role of the mental lexicon in language processing, emphasising the dual functioning of lexical representations. Lexical representations of lexical form constitute the target for analyses of the sensory input, while representations of lexical content provide the basis for higher-level processes of parsing and interpretation. The article argues for a processing perspective where sensory inputs are processed in parallel, with the perceptual decision dependent on the ensemble of potential candidates provided by the perceivers' stored lexical representations. Similar processes are assumed to operate in language production. The article concludes by arguing for a greater emphasis on the properties of lexical representations in the psycholinguistic study of lexical processing.
