LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 13:12 December 2013
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
         C. Subburaman, Ph.D. (Economics)
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Segmental Overlap as a Function of Prime Duration in
Simple and Complex Monosyllabic Word Naming in Speakers of English as Second Language

Varun Uthappa, A. G., M.Sc. (SLP)
Priyanka Shailat, M.Sc. (SLP)
Jaslin Thomas, M.Sc. (SLP)

Abstract

The study examines the effect of segmental overlap on naming monosyllabic words with distinct syllable complexities under a common priming paradigm with varying duration of prime presentation in second language speakers of English. 25 participants aged between 18 and 27 years are introduced to segmental primes (no overlap to complete overlap) presented across 100, 200 and 400 milliseconds prior to naming CVC and CCVCC monosyllabic words under a masked priming condition. The naming latencies are compared across segmental primes and duration to reveal certain variations in the nature and extent of facilitation for simple and complex words, which are interpreted on the basis of factors influencing primed word naming such as processing time and type.

Key words: segmental overlap, word naming, masked priming, prime duration, monosyllable

Introduction

The process of word naming is influenced by the nature of preceding elements introduced as primes in controlled experimental conditions. In case of the elements being components of the word itself, the ‘segmental overlap’ hypothesis (Schiller, 1998) and its extension ‘onset form priming’ (Schiller, 2004) have stood the test of time. Neither languages nor their order of acquisition / learning have disputed with the general effects of intra-word constituent overlap that yields temporal facilitation of naming reactions (Chen, Chen, & Dell, 2002; Roelofs, 2006; Verdonschot et al., 2011; Uthappa, Shailat, & Shyamala, 2012).

Specifically, the components that have achieved the status of segments by enhancing naming speed have varied across languages and syllable structures from phonemes to syllables (Ferrand, Segui, & Grainger, 1996; Schiller, 1998). As adjuncts, the point of onset of the preceding prime and duration of its presentation has also been found to influence the nature of processing (automatic or propositional) (Neely, 1977; Versace & Nevers, 2003), in-turn concerning the influence of segmental overlap. Theoretically, as the number of components of a word presented as primes increases successively, the effects on naming latencies ought to follow a similar trend if all other factors are neutralized. The proposition loses strength as it is justified only under stipulated conditions of prime onset, duration and content (including structure) of the words. It is of interest to investigate this matter with greater accuracy as these factors not only influence the process of word naming, but may be operating in relative processes that direct one towards interactions between linguistic structure, temporal processing of events, cognitive mechanisms at work and more.

The present study explores the effects caused by two of these factors namely, syllable structure and prime duration (in other words, onset of the prime). The experimental conditions are defined as per the masked priming paradigm considered in a study by (Uthappa, Shailat, & Shyamala, 2012) with CVC monosyllables in second language speakers of English. The study revealed the presence of a vivid step-wise facilitation when CVC word naming was preceded by %%% (no prime), C%%, CV% and CVC primes presented for a duration of 100 ms before a backward masker (###) of 15 ms which immediately preceded the target word. The effects did not replicate for C%% 50 ms primes, clearly demonstrating the influence of prime duration in overlap based activation. As the structure of the syllable was simple, the interpretations were made solely on the basis of the segmental overlap hypothesis. However, it remains to be discovered if the effects of segmental overlap alone govern word naming speed across more complex structures.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Varun Uthappa A. G., M.Sc. (Speech-Language Pathology)
Department of Clinical Services
All India Institute of Speech and Hearing
Manasagangothri, Mysore - 570006
Karnataka, India
varunuthappaag@gmail.com

Priyanka Shailat, M.Sc. (Speech-Language Pathology)
Centre for Rehabilitation and Education through Distance Mode
All India Institute of Speech and Hearing
Manasagangothri, Mysore - 570006
Karnataka, India
shailatpriyanka@gmail.com

Jaslin Thomas, M.Sc. (Speech-Language Pathology)
Department of Clinical Services
All India Institute of Speech and Hearing
Manasagangothri, Mysore - 570006
Karnataka, India
jaslin.thomas@gmail.com

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