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ABSTRACT
Syntax is responsible for restricting theword order of sentences and associating each possibility witha particular meaning. The
aim of the present study was to investigate the processing of the syntactic components of sentences. Specifically, it focused on
the comprehension of relative clauses in Spanish with null subject and object, distinguishing its various forms, in order to
determinewhich syntactic factors (such as canonical order and syntactic marking)influence the semantic interpretation of such
clauses, as well as the processing costs associated with them.
This field was studied in several languages: English (e.g. Fodor, Bever, & Garrett, 1974; Wanner & Maratsos, 1978; King, & Just,
1991), French (Frauenfelder, Segui & Mehler, 1980) and Spanish (Hoover, 1992; Betancort, Carreiras & Sturt, 2009, del Río et
al., 2012), etc. In general, these studies showed differences in the processing of S and O relatives, being O a more complex
clause. The accumulated evidence points that difficulties in processing the O relative could be due to a combination of syntactic,
functional, discursive, semantic and experience-based factors (the frequency of occurrence).
To accomplish the present study’s goals, three stages were conducted: an analysis of the frequency of occurrence of different
structures in a corpus of local language and two experimental tests: one on spontaneous comprehension (allocation
ofthematicroles) and one with a timed multiple choice task. This allowed us to identifycanonical order and subject extractionas
the main syntactic factors that influence the correctcomprehension of such sentences.
ABSTRACT
Syntax is responsible for restricting theword order of sentences and associating each possibility witha particular meaning. The
aim of the present study was to investigate the processing of the syntactic components of sentences. Specifically, it focused on
the comprehension of relative clauses in Spanish with null subject and object, distinguishing its various forms, in order to
determinewhich syntactic factors (such as canonical order and syntactic marking)influence the semantic interpretation of such
clauses, as well as the processing costs associated with them.
This field was studied in several languages: English (e.g. Fodor, Bever, & Garrett, 1974; Wanner & Maratsos, 1978; King, & Just,
1991), French (Frauenfelder, Segui & Mehler, 1980) and Spanish (Hoover, 1992; Betancort, Carreiras & Sturt, 2009, del Río et
al., 2012), etc. In general, these studies showed differences in the processing of S and O relatives, being O a more complex
clause. The accumulated evidence points that difficulties in processing the O relative could be due to a combination of syntactic,
functional, discursive, semantic and experience-based factors (the frequency of occurrence).
To accomplish the present study’s goals, three stages were conducted: an analysis of the frequency of occurrence of different
structures in a corpus of local language and two experimental tests: one on spontaneous comprehension (allocation
ofthematicroles) and one with a timed multiple choice task. This allowed us to identifycanonical order and subject extractionas
the main syntactic factors that influence the correctcomprehension of such sentences.
Stage 2: Spontaneous comprehension without time limitation (offline data)
Methodology:
Participants: 43 subjects with technical or university studies, aged 23 to 68 years old (M= 32 years old).
Material.,-'$)$.$'/)0+#/$"$."$)$#.."#%))0$1($)$#')"+.)+"$'0$
.0'$ 2$"3' /$"$ )"')2$' ' )0) )0$ %$) )0$ '$)$.$ .+# 3$ $)0$" )0$ +'
4"$'$)$#
Design and procedure. )"+.)+"$ )54$ /' )$"'+36$.) 2"3$ 0$ ( #$4$#$) 2"3$
/')0$$"""'7+))5)0$)'8!$.0'$)$.$44$"$#+(3$"$# "(9),-#+#$"$.0
$!)0$7+$'):/0##/0))/0(;</'4+) /$#35#)$).(4$)$)0$'/$"
Stage 3: Visual comprehension with timed multiple choice task (online data)
($ .)"/')"#+.$#(+)4$.0.$)'8"#$")$2+)$/0$)0$")0$
"$'+)' +#)%$,/$"$)0$'($")
Methodology:
Participants.,=')+#$)'#%"#+)$' .+)##$'.%>!!%$#9-)
?,5$"'#@A,?5$"'#B$ )0$(4").4)$#)0$4"$2+'')+#5
Material. 0$ '($ ,- '$)$.$' )%$ , /$"$ +'$# " $.0 )0$(! )0$ )/
4''3$'/$"'))0$7+$'):/0##/0))/0(;</$"$4"$'$)$#
Design and procedure. )"+.)+"$ )54$ /' )$"'+36$.) 2"3$ 0$ (
#$4$#$)2"3$/')0$$"""'7+))5 )/"$@"')$"C"')$"!,DD?B
/')0$)+'$# ")0$4"$'$))#$"""#$)$.)
RESULTS
2+$'32$,DDDD('#.""$.).0.$'$$.)/$"$.'#$"$#$"""'
)$"""4$".$)%$,?E@9=?$"""'B
Obtained data showed the following sequence, from easier to more complex structure
E1 > E5 > E4 > E3 >E2
Stage 1: 5'' )0$ 4"4'$# ')"+.)+"$' "$7+$.5 ..+""$.$ ."4+' . %+%$ /' #$ "#$" )
$2+)$4''3$ +$.$ )0' .)". Material:$2$"'."4+' .$/'44$"8/'*#$)$""@1
( /"#'! 3+) 35 )0$ )+" %+%$ ".$''% "+4! 2$"'## . #$ &"#3! !"%$)B
Procedure: "40').). *$" "$$% ?9 /' +'$# @)'$"'! ''! ($$'! *F$*! #"& C #"&! ,DDGB
Results: "$7+$.5 ..+""$.$'0/')0$ /%'$7+$.$! "(("$"$.+""$))$''"$.+""$)')"+.)+"$E1 > E4 > E3
> E5H/0$"$,.)3$.)$##+$)())' )0$+)().*$"
CONCLUSIONS
0$ "$'+)' 3)$# ."'' )0$ )0"$$ $I4$"($) ')%$' "$2$ .$") ..#$.$! /0.0 $# ) )08% )0) )0$ ("$ "$7+$) ')"+.)+"$ '! )0$ ("$
..$''3$#!.'$7+$.$!)0$$'$")+#$"')#).3$/$2$"!)%$94"$'$)'()$"())'').)#')%J'0)"+.)+"$9 "()"+.)+"$
,##)!# $"$.$' +#3$)/$$)%$9#)%$',#?!/+')3$$2$)0) "$7+$.5 ..+""$.$'))0$(.+'$!")0$5$!)0)
(8$'.(4"$0$'$'$"0$"$ "$!4"33').$I4)'"$)$+%0)6+') 5)0$.0.$ .$")')"+.)+"$'"$2$"! "$7+$.5.+#3$)0+%0)
'.'$7+$.$!("$)0.+'$! .))
0$')"+.)+"$''0/%$''# .+)$'/$"$ST1 (“La niña que mira al hombre…”) and ST4 (“La niña que el hombre mira…”), while the more complex was ST2
(“La niña que mira el hombre…”)0'(53$$I4$#'.'$7+$.$ $.$''"5#+3$4".$''%,!/0$"$ "()(+')3$"$2$/$# )$"
"')+')' 5%"$'+),"$7+"$'"$"%*) $I. "()) "')!)44$"')3$ /%."$($)"#$"/0.03$.($'2#.$)0$
'$.#+44$"')0$"$)2$+36$.)4.$
$%"#% .)" .))!#)3)$#)%$',#?"$2$$#)0))0$ .)"'/0.0/3$))$".(4"$0$' ")0$'$)54$ '$)$.$'"$+36$.)
I)".)! . "#$" # ."$($) +"'$ @ /0.0 $.0 $$($) ' 4.$# "#$" 44$".$ )0$ ')"+.)+"$! /)0+) +")0$" ''+$' # K.'%
'5)I3I$'LB0$.(4"%+36$.)#36$.)$I)".)!)0$ "')$4"2$#)3$$'$")+#$"')#)0)0$'$.#$0$'$"$'+)'"$.."#.$
/)0#) +#"+$ $#$"!$%+C$0$"@9M-DB"$.0HN%C+')@9MM9B%'0H$).")$)@,DDMB##$>$)@,D9,B4'0/$2$"!
)L').$3$)0)O!36$.)"$)2$'$)$.$!4"$'$)$#$"""')%$,#2$"5/4$".$)%$)%$?0' .)$#'))08%)0)I)".)
.)"')'#$)$"()'."#$" .)"!/0.0'$$(')3$)0$(')"$$2)'.$)''+"$'$4".$''% )0$$$($)' +.)'0$)
/$#!'5).). +.).)"$(''+'4$'$# "()0')3$"$)$#'0"))$"(($("5+)).3$4.$#')' 5%'5).).#
'$().4')0'(4$'$I)"4".$''%.')#.""$')0$4''3)5 .+""%.(4"$0$'$"""'3$)/$$
.."#%))0$"$'+)'!)0$(')..+")$4$"'4$.)2$ "$I4%)0$'$8# ')"+.)+"$'"$)0$"$'+".$P3'$#44".0$'!3'$# +.) .)"''+.0'
"$'+".$())'#.%)2$)$%")())'" ').$! $4$#$.5 .)50$"5 @B @3'! ,DDDH "#$"C3'!,DD1B4"$''+($')0)
36$.)"$)2$'"$("$.')53$.+'$)0$"$L'0%0$"(+) )$(4"5.(4$)$#$4$#$.$'/0.0"$')".)3)0')"%$#)$%")"$'+".$').
' 3$ $I4$# ' .'$7+$.$ )0$ "$#$" 02% ) .0%$ )' 4"$'4$.)2$ "( ) %$) )0$ "') )$"4"$)) @.'')$) /)0 .. "#$"
%+%$'8$4'0"%'0B))0$P.."#$" )0$36$.)"$)2$@#$>!&4$*P%$'C")>P"%$'$'!,D9,H.0$5C$0!9M--BQ
')! 3+) ) $')! $/ $I4$"($)' /0$"$ $.0 .)"'$2+)$# '$4")$5 02$ 3$$ .'#$"$# "#$" ).."+$ ("$ $2#$.$ # '4$. 5 )0$ 4").+"
$ $.)' $.0$
REFERENCES ""$!@,D9?B 4$"'4$.)2)$%"# #$ 4".$'($)5 #7+'.&#$$%+6$ %+' .'$.+$.'4" $ .0$.5 $2@.(4B'.%J>'). $ $'4R($6$+ $%+!44OMP1-+$'
"$'#$."$)">#$+3..$'#$.+)##$' >5$)"'#$2$"'###$+$'"$'H#$>!C&4$*P%+$'!@,DDGB $.)'#$($("4$")25#$+."%#$4".$'($)$.(4"$'&#$".$''.&%.!,=!
=MPM1 #$>! !&4$*P%$'! ! C ")>P"%$'$'! @,D9,B./"# "#$" #)$" $"$.$P3'$# )$%").')' #+"% '$)$.$ .(4"$0$'0$ .'$ 4'0 '+36$.) #36$.) "$)2$ .+'$' S+")$"5+" I4$"($)
'5.0%5!G1!,9D-T,9,-H$5!@,D9OB"$7+$.5 $.)'36$.)$)2$+'$".$''%($2#$.$2" '%$P'$#..+)'%+%$$"%GO@?B!G-1T=9OH$).")!!""$"'!!C)+")!@,DDMB0$4".$''% '+36$.)
#36$.)"$)2$.+'$'4'0$5$P)".8%')+#5S+")$"5+" I4$"($)'5.0%5!G,!9M91T9M,M
daicesaretti@gmail.com
ST Extra
ction
CO SM Example
S O Yes No Yes No
1 X X X La niña que mira al hombre cruza la calle [The
little girl looking man crossing the street.]
2 X X X La niña que mira el hombre cruza la calle [The
little girl looking man crossing the street.]
3 X X X La niña a la que mira el hombre cruza la calle
[The little girl who looks at the man across the
street.].
4 X X X La niña que el hombre mira cruza la calle. [The
little girl looking man crosses the street.].
5 X X X La niña a la que el hombre mira cruza la calle.
[The little girl who looks man crosses the street.]
RESULTS
$'."4)2$ 5'' $"""' '0/$# )) $""" 4$".$)%$ O!9E @OM $"""'B "
2$')"+.)+"$'
3)$# #) '0/$# )0$ /% '$7+$.$! "( $'$" ) ("$ .(4$I ')"+.)+"$
E4 > E1> E5 > E3 > E2
RESULTS
$'."4)2$ 5'' $"""' '0/$# )) $""" 4$".$)%$ O!9E @OM $"""'B "
2$')"+.)+"$'
3)$# #) '0/$# )0$ /% '$7+$.$! "( $'$" ) ("$ .(4$I ')"+.)+"$
E4 > E1> E5 > E3 > E2
Figure 1: Error % by structure –Stage 2
Figure 1: Error % by structure –Stage 2
Figure 2"""E35 .)"T)%$,
Figure 2"""E35 .)"T)%$,
Table 1: Description of each structure (ST) by factor
Figure 3: Error % by structure – Stage 3.
Figure 3: Error % by structure – Stage 3.
Figure 4: Error % by factor – Stage 3
Figure 4: Error % by factor – Stage 3
D
,
O
G
-
9D
9,
9O
9G
9-
,D
,,
0,66
19,77
5,23
0
1,16
Structures
% Errors
D
1
9D
91
,D
,1
?D
?1
OD
O1
1D
7,4
38,4
12,6
O-!G
31
19,6
Factors
% Errors
D
1
9D
91
,D
,1
?D
?1
OD
O1
1D
11
6
1D
22,5
17,5 16
Structures
% Errors
D
9
,
?
O
1
G
=
-
M
9D
99
9,
9?
9O
91
3,04
14
6,61
10,36
6,43
12,32
FACT ORS
% Errors
